Research Focus

Cell Protrusion and Cell Migration

Cell protrusions are highly dynamic, filamentous or sheet-like structures of cell cytoskeleton, which play a vital role in cell migration and spreading. For example, during tumor metastasis, cancer cells can use invadopodia to mechanically open the matrix cavity and further facilitate their migration and invasion; During immune responses,  immune cells can use podosomes to generate invasive force and produce lysozyme to actively modify the surrounding microenvironment, which in turn helps immune cells migrate and locate pathogens.  By combining theory and experiments, our lab has revealed the mechanism of cell protrusion dynamcis as well as the mechanism of protrusion mechanosensing the mechanical properties of the extracellular matrices. Our lab aims to clarify the mechanism of mechanotransduction in the interaction between cell protrusions and microenvironment and to understand the role of mechanotransduction mechanism in cancer cell invasion, wound healing, and immune responses.

Related publications：

Z. Gong, et al., Cell Rep., 2021;

Z. Gong, et al., Nat. Commun, in revision

L Yang, Z Gong, et al., Adv. Func. Mater., 2017

P Pakshir, et al., Nat. Commun, 2019,