Cells attaching to the extracellular matrix spontaneously acquire front-rear polarity. This self-organization process comprises spatial activation of polarity signaling networks and the establishment of a protruding cell front and a non-protruding cell rear. Cell polarization also involves the reorganization of cell mass, notably the nucleus that is positioned at the cell rear. It remains unclear, however, how these processes are regulated. Here, using coherence-controlled holographic microscopy (CCHM) for non-invasive live-cell quantitative phase imaging (QPI), we examined the role of the focal adhesion kinase (FAK) and its interacting partner Rack1 in dry mass distribution in spreading Rat2 fibroblasts. We found that FAK-depleted cells adopt an elongated, bipolar phenotype with a high central body mass that gradually decreases toward the ends of the elongated processes. Further characterization of spreading cells showed that FAK-depleted cells are incapable of forming a stable rear; rather, they form two distally positioned protruding regions. Continuous protrusions at opposite sides results in an elongated cell shape. In contrast, Rack1-depleted cells are round and large with the cell mass sharply dropping from the nuclear area towards the basal side. We propose that FAK and Rack1 act differently yet coordinately to establish front-rear polarity in spreading cells.

• Klíčová slova
• Rack1, cell adhesion, cell dry mass, cell spreading, coherence-controlled holographic microscopy, extracellular matrix, focal adhesion kinase, front–rear polarity, quantitative phase imaging,
• MeSH
• buněčná adheze genetika   fyziologie   MeSH
• buněčné linie MeSH
• fibroblasty cytologie   metabolismus   MeSH
• fokální adhezní tyrosinkinasy genetika   metabolismus   MeSH
• krysa rodu Rattus MeSH
• mikroskopie fázově kontrastní MeSH
• pohyb buněk genetika   fyziologie   MeSH
• polarita buněk genetika   fyziologie   MeSH
• receptory pro aktivovanou kinasu C genetika   metabolismus   MeSH
• RNA interference MeSH
• tvar buňky genetika   fyziologie   MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• krysa rodu Rattus MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Názvy látek
• fokální adhezní tyrosinkinasy MeSH
• RACK1 protein, rat MeSH Prohlížeč
• receptory pro aktivovanou kinasu C MeSH

Apico-basal polarity is typical of cells present in differentiated epithelium while front-rear polarity develops in motile cells. In cancer development, the transition from epithelial to migratory polarity may be seen as the hallmark of cancer progression to an invasive and metastatic disease. Despite the morphological and functional dissimilarity, both epithelial and migratory polarity are controlled by a common set of polarity complexes Par, Scribble and Crumbs, phosphoinositides, and small Rho GTPases Rac, Rho and Cdc42. In epithelial tissues, their mutual interplay ensures apico-basal and planar cell polarity. Accordingly, altered functions of these polarity determinants lead to disrupted cell-cell adhesions, cytoskeleton rearrangements and overall loss of epithelial homeostasis. Polarity proteins are further engaged in diverse interactions that promote the establishment of front-rear polarity, and they help cancer cells to adopt different invasion modes. Invading cancer cells can employ either the collective, mesenchymal or amoeboid invasion modes or actively switch between them and gain intermediate phenotypes. Elucidation of the role of polarity proteins during these invasion modes and the associated transitions is a necessary step towards understanding the complex problem of metastasis. In this review we summarize the current knowledge of the role of cell polarity signaling in the plasticity of cancer cell invasiveness.

• Klíčová slova
• AMT, EMT, invasion, plasticity, polarity,
• MeSH
• invazivní růst nádoru patologie   MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• nádory patologie   MeSH
• polarita buněk fyziologie   MeSH
• signální transdukce fyziologie   MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• přehledy MeSH