What is it about?
Together with two previous publications, this paper proposes a possible interaction between keratin and vimentin cytoskeletal networks together with hemidesmosomal components such as alpha 6 beta 4 integrin, in order to enhance cell motility during wound healing and cell migratory movements linked to embryo development. Such interaction may change cytoplasm fluidity and support organelle translocation during cell movement. The proposed interaction involves the copolymerization of Vimentin and Keratin filaments at the migratory edges of cells, and their interaction with Extracellular Matrix, a task achieved by relocation of alpha 6 beta 4 integrin into focal adhesion plaques, and its association with plectin as an integrator molecule mediating such interaction.
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Why is it important?
We consider that this work is important due to the possible association between the vimentin/keratin networks in early differentiating epithelial cells and epithelial progenitors, which may be actively involved in migratory movements during wound healing and development.
Perspectives
I believe that our results open new insights on epithelial cell motility. One of the major questions that should be approached is related with the differences among transformed cell populations in which vimentin cytoskeleton plays a major role in cell motility, and progenitor cell populations or early differentiating cells that co-express and co-polymerize vimentin and keratin filaments to express a high motile phenotype. Are they similar?. On the other hand is will be interesting to analyze the role of alpha 6 integrin isoforms in cell migration.
Dr Federico Castro-Munozledo
Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del IPN
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Vimentin as a Marker of Early Differentiating, Highly Motile Corneal Epithelial Cells, Journal of Cellular Physiology, July 2016, Wiley,
DOI: 10.1002/jcp.25487.
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