Tiny Feet on Cells Can Sense Defects and Stall Migration to Heal Wounds

Tiny feet on cells can sense defects and stall migration to heal wounds

Cells travel through the body both individually and in collective groups during development, wound healing and diseases such as cancer. New research from the McKelvey School of Engineering at Washington University in St. Louis shows that cells can sense even the smallest defects, or micro-injuries, in the surface beneath which they travel and stall long enough to begin the healing process.

Sara Wickström, cell biologist: ‘Cells do not just follow chemical orders; they also sense the forces around them’

The Finnish researcher was recently awarded the Körber European Science Prize for changing the way we understand cell biology