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Electric fields accelerate cell polarization and bypass myosin action in motility initiation
Author(s) -
Sun YaoHui,
Sun Yuxin,
Zhu Kan,
Reid Brian,
Gao Xing,
Draper Bruce W.,
Zhao Min,
Mogilner Alex
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
journal of cellular physiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.529
H-Index - 174
eISSN - 1097-4652
pISSN - 0021-9541
DOI - 10.1002/jcp.26109
Subject(s) - motility , myosin , polarization (electrochemistry) , cell polarity , electric field , biophysics , cell , microbiology and biotechnology , biology , physics , chemistry , biochemistry , quantum mechanics
Stationary symmetrical fish keratocyte cells break symmetry and become motile spontaneously but slowly. We found that applying electric field (EF) accelerates the polarization by an order of magnitude. While spontaneously polarized cells move persistently for hours, the EF‐induced polarity is lost in a majority of cells when the EF is switched off. However, if the EF is applied for a long time and then switched off, the majority of cell move stably. Myosin inhibition abolishes spontaneous polarization, but does not slow down EF‐induced polarization, and after the EF is turned off, motility does not stop; however, the cell movements are erratic. Our results suggest that the EF rapidly polarizes the cells, but that resulting polarization becomes stable slowly, and that the EF bypasses the requirement for myosin action in motility initiation.