Speakers
Chief, Laboratory of Cell and Developmental Biology
Head, Cell Biology Section
Details
Mechanisms of cell migration and tissue remodeling can differ substantially in different 3D microenvironments, but also when compared with knowledge acquired using regular tissue culture under flat “2D” conditions. During embryonic development, the transition from a simple epithelial bud to the final mature 3D organ requires complex coordination between cell migration, extracellular matrix dynamics, and tissue remodeling in locally organized processes that establish the 3D tissue architecture of many organs. Tumor cells can subvert these normal processes, such as migration and proteolytic remodeling, to invade and metastasize. The behavior of both normal and malignant cells can be regulated by the local microenvironment, with roles for physical factors such as extracellular matrix density, dimensionality, and elasticity. Actomyosin contractility also plays important roles in these cell-matrix interactions, both at cell-matrix adhesions and for movements of cells and extracellular matrix during cell migration and tissue morphogenesis. In many cases, the detailed mechanisms and regulation of these processes are still not well understood, but recent findings provide opportunities for deeper mechanistic insights that can facilitate attempts to inhibit tumor cell invasion and for tissue engineering.