biosights

Many cellular processes, including polarization and differentiation, require the nucleus to move to a specific location within the cytoplasm. Fridolfsson and Starr reveal how the microtubule motors dynein and kinesin-1 control the bi-directional movements of nuclei in the embryonic hypoderm of C. elegans. This biosights episode presents the paper by Fridolfsson and Starr from the October 4, 2010 issue of The Journal of Cell Biology, and includes an interview with senior author Daniel Starr (UC Davis, CA). Produced by Caitlin Sedwick and Ben Short.

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During an immune response, T cells move into tissues from the vasculature by crossing the endothelial cell layer lining blood vessel walls. Heasman et al. reveal that this transendothelial migration requires signaling at both the front and back of leukocytes by the small GTPase RhoA. This biosights episode presents the paper by Heasman et al. from the August 23, 2010 issue of The Journal of Cell Biology, and includes an interview with senior author Anne Ridley. Produced by Caitlin Sedwick and Ben Short.

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The endoplasmic reticulum is highly dynamic, although little is known about why and how its membrane tubules move. Friedman et al. reveal that ER membranes slide along stable, acetylated microtubules, which might help them contact other organelles such as mitochondria. This biosights episode presents the paper by Friedman et al. from the August 9, 2010 issue of The Journal of Cell Biology, and includes an interview with senior author Gia Voeltz. Produced by Caitlin Sedwick and Ben Short.

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Astral microtubules help position the cytokinetic furrow by confining actomyosin contractility to the cell equator. Rankin and Wordeman reveal that if astral microtubules grow too long, they expand membrane blebs at the mitotic cell poles that squeeze the mitotic spindle back and forth between the two daughter cells. This biosights episode presents the paper by Rankin and Wordeman from the July 12, 2010 issue of The Journal of Cell Biology, and includes an interview with senior author Linda Wordeman. Produced by Caitlin Sedwick and Ben Short.

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Microtubules align along the apical-basal axis of epithelial cells with their plus ends pointing to the basal side. Hotta et al. reveal how signals from the extracellular matrix establish this arrangement by recruiting the microtubule-anchoring factors LL5s to the basal cell cortex. This biosights episode presents the paper by Hotta et al. from the May 31, 2010 issue of The Journal of Cell Biology, and includes an interview with senior author Yuko Mimori-Kiyosue. Produced by Caitlin Sedwick and Ben Short.

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Drosophila macrophages disperse themselves around the body during embryogenesis, ready to mount an immune response at the site of a wound. Stramer et al. image the cells in vivo, revealing that they form microtubule "arms" to point them in the right direction and push themselves away from their fellow leukocytes. This biosights episode presents the paper by Stramer et al. from the May 17th, 2010 issue of The Journal of Cell Biology, and includes an interview with lead author Brian Stramer. Produced by Caitlin Sedwick and Ben Short.

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Cells drastically alter their structure at the onset of mitosis. Gavet and Pines reveal that the mitotic kinase CyclinB1-Cdk1 triggers its own nuclear import in prophase to ensure reorganization of the nucleus and cytoplasm is synchronized. This biosights episode presents the paper by Gavet and Pines from the April 19, 2010 issue of The Journal of Cell Biology, and includes an interview with senior author Jonathon Pines. Produced by Justin Paul and Ben Short.

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During gastrulation, pulsed contractions of the actomyosin cytoskeleton apically constrict a strip of cells on the ventral surface of Drosophila embryos. Martin et al. examine how these contractile forces are integrated across the tissue so that it invaginates to form the embryonic mesoderm. This biosights episode presents the paper by Martin et al. from the March 8, 2010 issue of The Journal of Cell Biology, and includes an interview with lead author Adam Martin. Produced by Eun Choi and Ben Short.

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A microtubule-independent network of proteins called the spindle matrix is involved in assembling mitotic and meiotic spindles, but whether the matrix makes a mechanical contribution to spindle shape is unclear. Gatlin et al. manipulate spindles with microneedles to directly probe the mechanical properties of the spindle matrix. This biosights episode presents the paper by Gatlin et al. from the February 22, 2010 issue of the Journal of Cell Biology, and includes an interview with lead author Jay Gatlin. Produced by Eun Choi and Ben Short.

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A novel high-throughput screening approach that combines yeast mutant arrays with high-content imaging provides fresh insights into mitotic spindle disassembly. This biosights episode presents the paper by Vizeacoumar et al. from the January 11, 2010 issue of the Journal of Cell Biology, and includes interviews with authors Brenda Andrews and Charles Boone, and JCB editorial board member John Aitchison. Produced by Eun Choi.

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The Rockefeller University Press [email protected]