biosights: January 2 2017 - Tumor cells feel the pressure after protease inhibition

Primary fibroblasts use a high pressure, “nuclear piston” mode of migration to move through highly cross-linked 3D extracellular matrices. Petrie et al. reveal that tumor cells with high levels of matrix metalloproteinase activity generally migrate by forming lamellipodia but, when their protease activity is inhibited, they can switch to the nuclear piston mechanism in order to force their nuclei through small gaps in the extracellular matrix. This biosights episode presents the paper by Petrie et al. from the January 2nd, 2017, issue of The Journal of Cell Biology and includes an interview with the paper’s senior author, Ryan Petrie (Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA). Produced by Caitlin Sedwick and Ben Short. See the associated paper in JCB for details on the funding provided to support this original research.