LARGE SCALE CURVATURE SENSING IN CELL MIGRATION

Abstract

In this study, we investigate curvature sensing during cell migration with in vitro epithelial wound closure models and micro-patterning techniques. We produced model wounds of different geometry and edge curvature, and observed that convex edges of positive curvature preferentially form lamellipodial protrusions whereas concave edges of negative curvature favor acto-myosin cable formation. We elucidate the sub-cellular mechanism of cell-scale curvature sensing with live imaging of the dynamic remodeling of the actin cytoskeleton. We found that concave edges promote the formation of a polarized actin structure with actin flow directed towards the cell edge with anisotropy gradient and polarised actin polymerisation dynamics.