Fassberg Seminar - ONLINE SEMINAR: Cell motility is enhanced by mecanical challenges on the nuclear envelope

As the largest organelle in the cell, the nucleus is often mechanically challenged when cells move or change shape. I will describe two phenomena which contribute to make the nucleus a ruler for cell deformation and trigger specific short term and long term migratory behaviors. The first relies on the increase of nuclear envelope tension and the activation of the cPLA2 pathway, leading to immediate activation of contractility in a sort of escape reflex, the second is associated with repeated nuclear envelope ruptures in crowded tissues such as mammary duct carcinoma and results in induction of extra-cellular matrix degradation and an invasive behavior.