title: Phagokinetic tracks of 3T3 cells: parallels between the orientation of track segments and of cellular structures which contain actin or tubulin.
abstract: Phagokinetic tracks were used to determine the current direction of migration in 3T3 cells. Comparing this direction with the orientation of actin or tubulin-containing cellular structures by indirect immunofluorescence, the following results were obtained. First, the main actin-containing bundles were located at the bottom and tail end of 3T3 cells and ran parallel to the current or preceding direction of migration. Second, the 3 micrometer long rod-like structure (primary cilium), which contains tubulin and which has been observed by other investigators in transmission electron microscopy (Barnes, 1961; Sorokin, 1962; Wheatley, 1969) and in indirect immunofluorescence (Osborn and Weber, 1976), was oriented predominantly parallel to the substrate and to the current movement direction. It seems possible that the primary cilium has a role in the directional control of a migrating 3T3 cell, and that the main actin containing bundles act as substrate-attached rails along which the nucleus and bulk cytoplasm slide during displacement of the cells.
mesh_terms: D000199:Actins / Q000032:analysis*; D002460:Cell Line; D002465:Cell Movement; D002923:Cilia / Q000502:physiology / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000032:analysis*; D008870:Microtubules / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D014404:Tubulin / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D000199:Actins; D006023:Glycoproteins; D014404:Tubulin