Phagokinetic tracks of 3T3 cells: Parallels between the orientation of track segments and of cellular structures which contain actin or tubulin

Guenter Albrecht-Buehler*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

129 Scopus citations

Abstract

Phagokinetic tracks were used to determine the current direction of migration in 3T3 cells. Comparing this direction with the orientation of actin- or tubulin-containing cellular structures by indirect immunofluorescence, the following results were obtained. First, the main actin-containing bundles were located at the bottom and tail end of 3T3 cells and ran parallel to the current or preceding direction of migration. Second, the 3 μm long rod-like structure (primary cilium), which contains tubulin and which has been observed by other investigators in transmission electron microscopy (Barnes, 1961; Sorokin, 1962; Wheatley, 1969) and in indirect immunofluorescence (Osborn and Weber, 1976), was oriented predominantly parallel to the substrate and to the current movement direction. It seems possible that the primary cilium has a role in the directional control of a migrating 3T3 cell, and that the main actin containing bundles act as substrate-attached rails along which the nucleus and bulk cytoplasm slide during displacement of the cells.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)333-339
Number of pages7
JournalCell
Volume12
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - Oct 1977

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology

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