Centering and Shifting of Centrosomes in Cells

Abstract

Centrosomes have a nonrandom localization in the cells: either they occupy the centroid of the zone free of the actomyosin cortex or they are shifted to the edge of the cell, where their presence is justified from a functional point of view, for example, to organize additional microtubules or primary cilia. This review discusses centrosome placement options in cultured and in situ cells. It has been proven that the central arrangement of centrosomes is due mainly to the pulling microtubules forces developed by dynein located on the cell cortex and intracellular vesicles. The pushing forces from dynamic microtubules and actomyosin also contribute, although the molecular mechanisms of their action have not yet been elucidated. Centrosomal displacement is caused by external cues, depending on signaling, and is drawn through the redistribution of dynein, the asymmetrization of microtubules through the capture of their plus ends, and the redistribution of actomyosin, which, in turn, is associated with basal-apical cell polarization.

Mechanical counterbalance of kinesin and dynein motors in microtubular network regulates cell mechanics, 3D architecture, and mechanosensing

“…We attribute these differences to the dynein activity status -i.e., MT network contraction-expansion balance is controlled by the dynein-kinesin mechanical balance (Figure 3d, SI4a). However, dyneins facilitate mechanical cross-linking and mechanotransduction of the forces within the MT network (SI5a) and the actomyosin cytoskeleton 33,35,57,[59][60][61][62] (Figure 3d). Thus, suppression of dyneins with Dynapyrazole A reduces both the MT network contractility (SI5c) and the MT-actomyosin mechanotransduction leading to the partial loss of the overall cell-ECM contractility and impaired cell spreading.…”

Acto-myosin network geometry defines centrosome position

“…Its position is characteristic and indicative of polarized cell functions (Bornens, 2018). It is found at the cell center in proliferating cells in culture, while it presents a peripheral position in differentiated cells in tissues, where it loses part or all of its functions in microtubule organization (Burakov and Nadezhdina, 2020;Sanchez and Feldman, 2016;Vallee and Stehman, 2005). During several cellular events essential to development, and organism homeostasis, the centrosome position undergoes a shift from the center to periphery of the cell, notably during ciliogenesis (Pitaval et al, 2017), neuronal developement (Shao et al, 2020), immune synapse formation (Stinchcombe and Griffiths, 2014) or epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (Burute et al, 2017).…”

Long-range migration of centrioles to the apical surface of the olfactory epithelium

“…In cycling mammalian cells, PCM nucleates microtubule asters that center and position the centrosome. This occurs through pushing forces driven by microtubule nucleation, and pushing and pulling forces driven by molecular motors (reviewed in Burakov & Nadezhdina, 2020).…”