Podosomes articles from across Nature Portfolio

The activation and accumulation of lung fibroblasts resulting in aberrant deposition of extracellular matrix components is a pathogenic hallmark of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. Here, the authors show that the formation of podosomes in lung fibroblasts stimulates extracellular matrix invasion in a mouse model of the disease, suggesting that pharmacological targeting of podosome formation or organization might be a therapeutic option.

Podosomes and invadopodia, collectively called ‘invadosomes’, are actin-based structures that drive proteolytic invasion in various physiologically relevant cell types (including osteoclasts, immune cells, endothelial cells and fibroblasts) and in cancer cells. Recent work has expanded our understanding of the architecture and mechanisms of invadosomes, and has revealed their diverse functions beyond matrix degradation.

Ros et al. show that the ER-resident chaperone calnexin (Cnx) and its partner ERp57 are trafficked to cell surface invadosomes and induce ECM degradation, promoting tumour invasiveness.

Invadosomes degrade extracellular matrix and facilitate cell invasion but their molecular composition is not fully understood. Here, the authors combine laser capture and mass spectrometry to map the proteome of invadosomes, showing that they rely on internal translational activity to maintain their structure.

The actomyosin cytoskeleton plays an important role in polarised cell migration. Here the authors identify lymphocyte-specific protein (LSP)-1 as a regulator of actomyosin contractility in macrophages, by competing with supervillin for myosin IIA activators acting specifically on the β-actin isoform.

Blood vessel branching during tumour angiogenesis is mediated by the formation of podosome rosettes.

Functional podosomes and invadopodia formin vivoand in 3D culture.