BPoD has moved!

BPoD has recently changed our domain name - we can now be found at bpod.org.uk

Please update your bookmarks!

Now in our 13th year of bringing you beautiful imagery from biomedical science every day

Search the archive of over 4000 images

Cells' cytoskeleton align as they grow in curved situations like tubules

21 October 2022

Tubular Cells

Epithelial cells form a sort of skin that lines our organs and tissues. During development, whole sheets move into place in process called collective cell migration. But our tissues aren’t always flat, and here researchers investigate how such cells move along curved surfaces, using fluorescently-labelled MDCK cells (green) – epithelial cells grown from cells that used to belong to kidney tubules. Growing inside a cylinder of nourishing hydrogel, the cells rotate around the curved surface, like people walking down a spiral staircase. The team finds epithelial cells align their inner cytoskeletons to determine which way to rotate and also link together – giving the population a direction or polarity. Researchers believe this rotational movement might be important during development, but also essential for cancerous cells to migrate during cancer metastasis.

Written by John Ankers

Search The Archive

Submit An Image

Follow on Tumblr

Follow on Instagram

What is BPoD?

BPoD stands for Biomedical Picture of the Day. Managed by the MRC Laboratory of Medical Sciences until Jul 2023, it is now run independently by a dedicated team of scientists and writers. The website aims to engage everyone, young and old, in the wonders of biology, and its influence on medicine. The ever-growing archive of more than 4000 research images documents over a decade of progress. Explore the collection and see what you discover. Images are kindly provided for inclusion on this website through the generosity of scientists across the globe.

Read More

BPoD is also available in Catalan at www.bpod.cat with translations by the University of Valencia.