Genes & Diseases

Genes & Diseases

Volume 1, Issue 2, December 2014, Pages 162-173
Genes & Diseases

Review article
Chemotactic signaling in mesenchymal cells compared to amoeboid cells

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gendis.2014.09.006Get rights and content
Under a Creative Commons license
open access

Abstract

Cell chemotaxis plays a pivotal role in normal development, inflammatory response, injury repair and tissue regeneration in all organisms. It is also a critical contributor to cancer metastasis, altered angiogenesis and neurite growth in disease. The molecular mechanisms regulating chemotaxis are currently being identified and key components may be pertinent therapeutic targets. Although these components appear to be mostly common in various cells, there are important differences in chemotactic signaling networks and signal processing that result in the distinct chemotactic behavior of mesenchymal cells compared to much better studied amoeboid blood cells. These differences are not necessarily predetermined based on cell type, but are rather chosen and exploited by cells to modify their chemotactic behavior based on physical constraints and/or environmental conditions. This results in a specific type of chemotactic migration in mesenchymal cells that can be selectively targeted in disease. Here, we compare the chemotactic behavior, signaling and motility of mesenchymal and amoeboid cells. We suggest that the current model of chemotaxis is applicable for small amoeboid cells but needs to be reconsidered for large mesenchymal cells. We focus on new candidate regulatory molecules and feedback mechanisms that may account for mesenchymal cell type-specific chemotaxis.

Keywords

Chemotaxis
Feedback regulation
Fibroblasts
Hydrogen peroxide
Signaling

List of abbreviations

GEFs
guanine nucleotide exchange factors
GPCRs
G-protein coupled receptors
LEGI
local excitation and global inhibition
MAP-kinase
mitogen-activated protein kinase
mTORC
mechanistic target of rapamycin complex
NOX
NADPH-oxidase
PTEN
phosphatase and tensin homolog
PI3-kinase
phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase
PIP3
phosphatidylinositol (3,4,5)-trisphosphate
PLA2
phospholipase A2
PDGF
platelet derived growth factor
РТР-1В
protein tyrosine phosphatase-1B
RTKs
receptor tyrosine kinases

Cited by (0)

Peer review under responsibility of Chongqing Medical University.