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Regulation of cell movement is mediated by stretch-activated calcium channels

Nature volume 400, pages 382–386 (1999)Cite this article

Abstract

Intracellular calcium regulates many of the molecular processes that are essential for cell movement1. It is required for the production of actomyosin-based contractile forces2,3,4, the regulation of the structure and dynamics of the actin cytoskeleton5,6, and the formation and disassembly of cell–substratum adhesions7,8. Calcium also serves as a second messenger in many biochemical signal-transduction pathways7. However, despite the pivotal role of calcium in motile processes, it is not clear how calcium regulates overall cell movement. Here we show that transient increases in intracellular calcium, [Ca2+]i, during the locomotion of fish epithelial keratocytes, occur more frequently in cells that become temporarily ‘stuck’ to the substratum or when subjected to mechanical stretching. We find that calcium transients arise from the activation of stretch-activated calcium channels, which triggers an influx of extracellular calcium. In addition, the subsequent increase in [Ca2+]i is involved in detachment of the rear cell margin. Thus, we have defined a mechanism by which cells can detect and transduce mechanical forces into biochemical signals that can modulate locomotion.

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Figure 1: Calcium transients occur in moving keratocytes.
Figure 2: Increases in [Ca2+]i in response to stretching.
Figure 3: Direct evidence for stretch-activated calcium channels.
Figure 4: A scheme for the mechano-chemical regulation of movement.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the NIH (K.J. and G.O.).

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Author notes

  1. Ken Jacobson

    Present address: Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Connecticut, 75 North Eagleville Road, U-125, Storrs, Connecticut, 06269, USA

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North, 27599-7090, Carolina, USA

    Juliet Lee, Akira Ishihara & Ken Jacobson

  2. Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North, 27599-7090, Carolina, USA

    Juliet Lee

  3. Department of Molecular and Cell Physiology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North, 27599-7090, Carolina, USA

    Gerry Oxford

  4. Department of Physiology and Neurobiology, University of Connecticut, 75 North Eagleville Road, U-156, Storrs, 06269, Connecticut, USA

    Barry Johnson

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Correspondence to Juliet Lee.

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Lee, J., Ishihara, A., Oxford, G. et al. Regulation of cell movement is mediated by stretch-activated calcium channels. Nature 400, 382–386 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1038/22578

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