Cells keep to one direction by erasing the path
Scientists at the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) in Heidelberg, Germany, have now shown that cells in a zebrafish embryo determine which direction they move in by effectively erasing the path behind them. The findings, published online today in Nature, could have implications not just for development but also for cancer and metastasis.
In a nutshell:
· Zebrafish embryo’s cells can move in one direction by creating their own gradient
· Could have implications for cancer and metastasis
· Discovered using a tag that changes colour as its target ages