During development and tumor metastasis, cells prepare to migrate by undergoing an epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition that loosens their connections to neighboring cells. But some cell types then migrate en masse to their final destinations, indicating that their intercellular adhesions aren't disrupted completely. Kuriyama et al. reveal that the phospholipid lysophosphatidic acid promotes the collective migration of Xenopus neural crest cells by downregulating the surface expression of N-cadherin, granting the cells fluid-like properties that enhance their movement through embryonic tissues.
Download our Journal Club pack to aid your discussion of Kuriyama et al.'s study and its implications for EMT and collective cell migration. The pack includes a complete pdf of the paper, a PowerPoint file of Kuriyama et al.’s figures, supplemental videos, and the latest biosights video podcast, which features an interview with the study’s senior author, Roberto Mayor (University College London, UK).