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Cell migration: Discovery of a protein, brake and steering wheel of the cell


​​​​​Cell migration, the ability of certain cells to move, is essential for many physiological processes and can be disrupted in pathological contexts. We [1] have just discovered a protein that regulates cell migration. Called Arpin, it is a barrier to migration and also allows the cell to control the direction of its migration. We were able to show that these two roles of Arpin have been preserved during evolution from amoeba to man. These results, published in Nature on October 16, are expected to have a strong impact on cancer research. Indeed, cell migration and the formation of metastases are two closely related phenomena.


Published on 16 October 2013
[1] In collaboration with researchers from the Institute for Research in Technologies and Life Sciences (iRTSV), the Laboratory of Cellular and Plant Physiology (CNRS / CEA / INRA / Joseph Fourier-Grenoble University) and the Institute of Biology of the Ecole normale supérieure (CNRS / Inserm / ENS Paris).

Press release in French



Observation of mouse embryo cells under the microscope after labeling nuclei in blue, actin fibers in red and Arpin in green. Arpin is located at the end of lamellipodia where the cell membrane is projected.
© Roman Gorelik (CNRS)

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