Deciphering vimentin-microtubule interactions in cell polarity

Abstract

Vimentin intermediate filaments (IF) and the centrosome are a critical part of the cell cytoskeleton, a complex active network that directs many cellular functions. Recent studies have shown that centrosome positioning is critical for directional cell movement. On the other hand, loss of vimentin IF increases cell motility and directional persistence in microfluidic channels. These studies indicate both vimentin and centrosome are associated with directional cell migration but their interactions are widely unknown.