Filopodia (IMAGE)

University of Copenhagen - Faculty of Science

Filopodia

Caption

The mechanical function of filopodia can be compared to a rubber band. Untwisted, a rubber band has no power. But if you twist it, it contracts. This combination of twisting and contraction helps a cell move directionally and makes the filopodia very flexible. The mechanism discovered by the Danish researchers appears to be found in all living cells. Besides cancer cells, it is also relevant to study the importance of filopodia in other types of cells, such as embryonic stem cells and brain cells, which are highly dependent on filopodia for their development.

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Niels Bohr Institute / University of Copenhagen

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None, but Niels Bohr Institute / University of Copenhagen should be credited.

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