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Collective cell migration is the process by which a group of cells move in concert, without completely disrupting their cell-cell contacts. Collective migration is important during morphogenesis, and in pathological processes such as wound healing and cancer cell invasion.
Aligned collagen I is associated with the emergence of leader cells that are responsible for collective invasion. Here, the authors show that Collagen I and Yap signalling are in a feed-forward loop to drive the collective invasion of basal-like tumour cells.
This Review discusses the complex mechanisms of wound healing — cell migration, matrix remodelling, inflammation and angiogenesis — and the contributions of different cell types, including immune cells, to this process. It also highlights new methodologies that could inform future therapies to prevent scarring and repair chronic wounds.
The mechanism underlying thyroid follicle formation is not well understood. Here, the authors show that a subgroup of NF-κB-activated thyrocytes, through interactions with myeloid cells, exhibit increased migration capacity to generate new follicles.
A molecular pathway has been identified in the regulation of unjamming to overcome cancer cell migration and proliferation arrest leading to collective cell invasion.
A recent study published inNature Cell Biologyhas shown that tumour spheres that maintain an inverted epithelial architecture originate from primary colorectal cancers and can collectively invade the peritoneum, initiating metastasis.
Mechanical coupling of cancer-associated fibroblasts and cancer cells through a heterotypic E-cadherin–N-cadherin adherens junction promotes cancer cell invasion.