Temperature elevation detection in migrating cells

Abstract

Active and dynamic migration and deformation of cells are universal research targets in cell biology. The leader cells that develop at the wound edge are required to actively reorganize their structure for migration and deformation. Such active reorganization of cellular morphology possibly affects the temperature inside the cells via biochemical reactions. On the other hand, it is also possible that changes of intracellular temperature may first trigger and induce active migration and cellular deformation. Recent development of temperature sensors for cells enables the display of temperature difference between two adjacent cell populations such as the leader and follower cells around a wound. We used two different temperature measurement methods to check the temperature of leader and follower cells in a wound healing assay system and found that leader cells were 10° ∼ 101°C warmer than follower cells. We also confirmed that, when the cells were artificially warmed with an infrared laser, they started moving, and when the laser was stopped, the cells also stopped moving. These results suggest that the warmth of the leader cells is not simply a result of their active movement, but also can play the role of a trigger for cell migration and deformation. Our results shed light on the possibility that various observed cases of intracellular temperature increase may trigger associated biological phenomena.