Chemical Gradients Trigger and Guide Movement of Giant Lipid Vesicles

Other conference contribution, 2017

Directed cell movement is one of the central biological processes, and is vital for early embryonic development, wound healing, and spreading of cancer. Migration of cells is often directed by chemical signals and involves various cell components. The cytoskeleton and proteins in the membrane are featured as the key players. However, little is known about the response of lipids to chemical cues. To address this question, we used giant lipid vesicles as the cell membrane model system, that were deposited on a glass substrate. We show that chemical gradients trigger and guide the movement of entire lipid vesicles, mimicking the cell body translocation. Our results are important for understanding the membrane response during migratory cell behavior.