Paxillin mediates sensing of physical cues and regulates directional cell motility by controlling lamellipodia positioning.

ABSTRACT: Physical interactions between cells and the extracellular matrix (ECM) guide directional migration by spatially controlling where cells form focal adhesions (FAs), which in turn regulate the extension of motile processes. Here we show that physical control of directional migration requires the FA scaffold protein paxillin. Using single-cell sized ECM islands to constrain cell shape, we found that fibroblasts cultured on square islands preferentially activated Rac and extended lamellipodia from corner, rather than side regions after 30 min stimulation with PDGF, but that cells lacking paxillin failed to restrict Rac activity to corners and formed small lamellipodia along their entire peripheries. This spatial preference was preceded by non-spatially constrained formation of both dorsal and

SUBMITTER: Sero JE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3237434 | biostudies-literature | 2011

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature