---
OA_place: publisher
OA_type: hybrid
PlanS_conform: '1'
_id: '20082'
abstract:
- lang: eng
  text: Efficient immune responses rely on the capacity of leukocytes to traverse
    diverse and complex tissues. To meet such changing environmental conditions, leukocytes
    usually adopt an ameboid configuration, using their forward-positioned nucleus
    as a probe to identify and follow the path of least resistance among pre-existing
    pores. We show that, in dense environments where even the largest pores preclude
    free passage, leukocytes position their nucleus behind the centrosome and organelles.
    The local compression imposed on the cell body by its surroundings triggers assembly
    of a central F-actin pool, located between cell front and nucleus. Central actin
    pushes outward to transiently dilate a path for organelles and nucleus. Pools
    of central and front actin are tightly coupled and experimental depletion of the
    central pool enhances actin accumulation and protrusion formation at the cell
    front. Although this shifted balance speeds up cells in permissive environments,
    migration in restrictive environments is impaired, as the unleashed leading edge
    dissociates from the trapped cell body. Our findings establish an actin regulatory
    loop that balances path dilation with advancement of the leading edge to maintain
    cellular coherence.
acknowledged_ssus:
- _id: Bio
- _id: LifeSc
acknowledgement: This research was supported by the Scientific Service Units of ISTA
  through resources provided by the Imaging and Optics, Preclinical and Lab Support
  Facilities. In particular, we thank M. A. Symth and F. G. G. Leite, from the Virus
  Service Team, who helped generating the lentiviral particles used in this study.
  We thank all the members of the Sixt group for valuable discussions and feedback,
  in particular, I. Mayer, for helping with T cell isolation and Z. (P.) Li for providing
  the Actin–GFP DC line. We are also thankful to J. Mandl and C. Shen for their feedback
  during the writing of this manuscript. This work was supported by a European Research
  Council grant ERC-SyG 101071793 to M.S. M.J.A. was supported by an HFSP Postdoctoral
  Fellowship LTF 177 2021 and A.J.G. by a Lise Meitner Fellowship of the FWF (Austrian
  Science Fund). Y.F. was supported by the AMED-CREST (JP19gm1310005), the Medical
  Research Center Initiative for High Depth Omics and CURE:JPMXP1323015486 for MIB,
  Kyushu University. Open access funding provided by Institute of Science and Technology
  (IST Austria).
article_processing_charge: Yes (via OA deal)
article_type: letter_note
author:
- first_name: Patricia
  full_name: Dos Reis Rodrigues, Patricia
  id: 26E95904-5160-11E9-9C0B-C5B0DC97E90F
  last_name: Dos Reis Rodrigues
  orcid: 0000-0003-1681-508X
- first_name: Mario
  full_name: Avellaneda Sarrió, Mario
  id: DC4BA84C-56E6-11EA-AD5D-348C3DDC885E
  last_name: Avellaneda Sarrió
  orcid: 0000-0001-6406-524X
- first_name: Nikola
  full_name: Canigova, Nikola
  id: 3795523E-F248-11E8-B48F-1D18A9856A87
  last_name: Canigova
  orcid: 0000-0002-8518-5926
- first_name: Florian R
  full_name: Gärtner, Florian R
  id: 397A88EE-F248-11E8-B48F-1D18A9856A87
  last_name: Gärtner
  orcid: 0000-0001-6120-3723
- first_name: Kari
  full_name: Vaahtomeri, Kari
  id: 368EE576-F248-11E8-B48F-1D18A9856A87
  last_name: Vaahtomeri
  orcid: 0000-0001-7829-3518
- first_name: Michael
  full_name: Riedl, Michael
  id: 3BE60946-F248-11E8-B48F-1D18A9856A87
  last_name: Riedl
  orcid: 0000-0003-4844-6311
- first_name: Ingrid
  full_name: De Vries, Ingrid
  id: 4C7D837E-F248-11E8-B48F-1D18A9856A87
  last_name: De Vries
- first_name: Jack
  full_name: Merrin, Jack
  id: 4515C308-F248-11E8-B48F-1D18A9856A87
  last_name: Merrin
  orcid: 0000-0001-5145-4609
- first_name: Robert
  full_name: Hauschild, Robert
  id: 4E01D6B4-F248-11E8-B48F-1D18A9856A87
  last_name: Hauschild
  orcid: 0000-0001-9843-3522
- first_name: Yoshinori
  full_name: Fukui, Yoshinori
  last_name: Fukui
- first_name: Alba
  full_name: Juanes Garcia, Alba
  id: 40F05888-F248-11E8-B48F-1D18A9856A87
  last_name: Juanes Garcia
  orcid: 0000-0002-1009-9652
- first_name: Michael K
  full_name: Sixt, Michael K
  id: 41E9FBEA-F248-11E8-B48F-1D18A9856A87
  last_name: Sixt
  orcid: 0000-0002-6620-9179
citation:
  ama: Dos Reis Rodrigues P, Avellaneda Sarrió M, Canigova N, et al. Migrating immune
    cells globally coordinate protrusive forces. <i>Nature Immunology</i>. 2025;26:1258–1266.
    doi:<a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/s41590-025-02211-w">10.1038/s41590-025-02211-w</a>
  apa: Dos Reis Rodrigues, P., Avellaneda Sarrió, M., Canigova, N., Gärtner, F. R.,
    Vaahtomeri, K., Riedl, M., … Sixt, M. K. (2025). Migrating immune cells globally
    coordinate protrusive forces. <i>Nature Immunology</i>. Springer Nature. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/s41590-025-02211-w">https://doi.org/10.1038/s41590-025-02211-w</a>
  chicago: Dos Reis Rodrigues, Patricia, Mario Avellaneda Sarrió, Nikola Canigova,
    Florian R Gärtner, Kari Vaahtomeri, Michael Riedl, Ingrid de Vries, et al. “Migrating
    Immune Cells Globally Coordinate Protrusive Forces.” <i>Nature Immunology</i>.
    Springer Nature, 2025. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/s41590-025-02211-w">https://doi.org/10.1038/s41590-025-02211-w</a>.
  ieee: P. Dos Reis Rodrigues <i>et al.</i>, “Migrating immune cells globally coordinate
    protrusive forces,” <i>Nature Immunology</i>, vol. 26. Springer Nature, pp. 1258–1266,
    2025.
  ista: Dos Reis Rodrigues P, Avellaneda Sarrió M, Canigova N, Gärtner FR, Vaahtomeri
    K, Riedl M, de Vries I, Merrin J, Hauschild R, Fukui Y, Juanes Garcia A, Sixt
    MK. 2025. Migrating immune cells globally coordinate protrusive forces. Nature
    Immunology. 26, 1258–1266.
  mla: Dos Reis Rodrigues, Patricia, et al. “Migrating Immune Cells Globally Coordinate
    Protrusive Forces.” <i>Nature Immunology</i>, vol. 26, Springer Nature, 2025,
    pp. 1258–1266, doi:<a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/s41590-025-02211-w">10.1038/s41590-025-02211-w</a>.
  short: P. Dos Reis Rodrigues, M. Avellaneda Sarrió, N. Canigova, F.R. Gärtner, K.
    Vaahtomeri, M. Riedl, I. de Vries, J. Merrin, R. Hauschild, Y. Fukui, A. Juanes
    Garcia, M.K. Sixt, Nature Immunology 26 (2025) 1258–1266.
corr_author: '1'
date_created: 2025-07-27T22:01:26Z
date_published: 2025-08-01T00:00:00Z
date_updated: 2026-04-28T13:26:50Z
day: '01'
ddc:
- '570'
department:
- _id: MiSi
- _id: NanoFab
- _id: Bio
doi: 10.1038/s41590-025-02211-w
external_id:
  isi:
  - '001529134300001'
  pmid:
  - '40664976'
file:
- access_level: open_access
  checksum: 0c725123dca7797c682609bff2c4c5ac
  content_type: application/pdf
  creator: dernst
  date_created: 2025-07-31T08:00:33Z
  date_updated: 2025-07-31T08:00:33Z
  file_id: '20096'
  file_name: 2025_NatureImmunology_ReisRodrigues.pdf
  file_size: 13514646
  relation: main_file
  success: 1
file_date_updated: 2025-07-31T08:00:33Z
fulldoi: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41590-025-02211-w
has_accepted_license: '1'
intvolume: '        26'
isi: 1
language:
- iso: eng
license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
month: '08'
oa: 1
oa_version: Published Version
page: 1258–1266
pmid: 1
project:
- _id: bd91e723-d553-11ed-ba76-fe7eeb2185fd
  grant_number: '101071793'
  name: 'Pushing from within: Control of cell shape, integrity and motility by cytoskeletal
    pushing forces'
- _id: c092d618-5a5b-11eb-8a69-f92e1e843fc8
  grant_number: 944-2020
  name: 'Bioelectric patrolling: the role of the local membrane potential in immune
    cell migration'
publication: Nature Immunology
publication_identifier:
  eissn:
  - 1529-2916
  issn:
  - 1529-2908
publication_status: published
publisher: Springer Nature
quality_controlled: '1'
related_material:
  link:
  - description: News on ISTA website
    relation: press_release
    url: https://ista.ac.at/en/news/bench-pressing-cells/
  record:
  - id: '20149'
    relation: dissertation_contains
    status: public
scopus_import: '1'
status: public
title: Migrating immune cells globally coordinate protrusive forces
tmp:
  image: /images/cc_by.png
  legal_code_url: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode
  name: Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International Public License (CC-BY 4.0)
  short: CC BY (4.0)
type: journal_article
user_id: ba8df636-2132-11f1-aed0-ed93e2281fdd
volume: 26
year: '2025'
...
---
_id: '17191'
abstract:
- lang: eng
  text: Dendritic cells migrate to and from lymph nodes in response to chemokine gradients.Data
    now show that steady-state migration of these cells can be triggered by a mechanosensitive
    pathway.
article_processing_charge: No
article_type: letter_note
author:
- first_name: Sergio
  full_name: Lembo, Sergio
  id: d993a7b2-292f-11ed-aaac-fb045a912e31
  last_name: Lembo
  orcid: 0000-0002-2253-8771
- first_name: Michael K
  full_name: Sixt, Michael K
  id: 41E9FBEA-F248-11E8-B48F-1D18A9856A87
  last_name: Sixt
  orcid: 0000-0002-6620-9179
citation:
  ama: Lembo S, Sixt MK. Nuclear squeezing wakes up dendritic cells. <i>Nature Immunology</i>.
    2024;25:1131–1132. doi:<a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/s41590-024-01881-2">10.1038/s41590-024-01881-2</a>
  apa: Lembo, S., &#38; Sixt, M. K. (2024). Nuclear squeezing wakes up dendritic cells.
    <i>Nature Immunology</i>. Springer Nature. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/s41590-024-01881-2">https://doi.org/10.1038/s41590-024-01881-2</a>
  chicago: Lembo, Sergio, and Michael K Sixt. “Nuclear Squeezing Wakes up Dendritic
    Cells.” <i>Nature Immunology</i>. Springer Nature, 2024. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/s41590-024-01881-2">https://doi.org/10.1038/s41590-024-01881-2</a>.
  ieee: S. Lembo and M. K. Sixt, “Nuclear squeezing wakes up dendritic cells,” <i>Nature
    Immunology</i>, vol. 25. Springer Nature, pp. 1131–1132, 2024.
  ista: Lembo S, Sixt MK. 2024. Nuclear squeezing wakes up dendritic cells. Nature
    Immunology. 25, 1131–1132.
  mla: Lembo, Sergio, and Michael K. Sixt. “Nuclear Squeezing Wakes up Dendritic Cells.”
    <i>Nature Immunology</i>, vol. 25, Springer Nature, 2024, pp. 1131–1132, doi:<a
    href="https://doi.org/10.1038/s41590-024-01881-2">10.1038/s41590-024-01881-2</a>.
  short: S. Lembo, M.K. Sixt, Nature Immunology 25 (2024) 1131–1132.
corr_author: '1'
date_created: 2024-06-30T22:01:05Z
date_published: 2024-06-21T00:00:00Z
date_updated: 2025-09-08T08:06:56Z
day: '21'
department:
- _id: MiSi
doi: 10.1038/s41590-024-01881-2
external_id:
  isi:
  - '001251509300001'
  pmid:
  - '38907047'
fulldoi: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41590-024-01881-2
intvolume: '        25'
isi: 1
language:
- iso: eng
month: '06'
oa_version: None
page: '1131–1132 '
pmid: 1
publication: Nature Immunology
publication_identifier:
  eissn:
  - 1529-2916
  issn:
  - 1529-2908
publication_status: published
publisher: Springer Nature
quality_controlled: '1'
scopus_import: '1'
status: public
title: Nuclear squeezing wakes up dendritic cells
type: journal_article
user_id: 317138e5-6ab7-11ef-aa6d-ffef3953e345
volume: 25
year: '2024'
...
---
_id: '9794'
abstract:
- lang: eng
  text: 'Lymph nodes (LNs) comprise two main structural elements: fibroblastic reticular
    cells that form dedicated niches for immune cell interaction and capsular fibroblasts
    that build a shell around the organ. Immunological challenge causes LNs to increase
    more than tenfold in size within a few days. Here, we characterized the biomechanics
    of LN swelling on the cellular and organ scale. We identified lymphocyte trapping
    by influx and proliferation as drivers of an outward pressure force, causing fibroblastic
    reticular cells of the T-zone (TRCs) and their associated conduits to stretch.
    After an initial phase of relaxation, TRCs sensed the resulting strain through
    cell matrix adhesions, which coordinated local growth and remodeling of the stromal
    network. While the expanded TRC network readopted its typical configuration, a
    massive fibrotic reaction of the organ capsule set in and countered further organ
    expansion. Thus, different fibroblast populations mechanically control LN swelling
    in a multitier fashion.'
acknowledged_ssus:
- _id: Bio
- _id: EM-Fac
- _id: PreCl
- _id: LifeSc
acknowledgement: This research was supported by the Scientific Service Units of IST
  Austria through resources provided by the Imaging and Optics, Electron Microscopy,
  Preclinical and Life Science Facilities. We thank C. Moussion for providing anti-PNAd
  antibody and D. Critchley for Talin1-floxed mice, and E. Papusheva for providing
  a custom 3D channel alignment script. This work was supported by a European Research
  Council grant ERC-CoG-72437 to M.S. M.H. was supported by Czech Sciencundation GACR
  20-24603Y and Charles University PRIMUS/20/MED/013.
article_processing_charge: No
article_type: original
author:
- first_name: Frank P
  full_name: Assen, Frank P
  id: 3A8E7F24-F248-11E8-B48F-1D18A9856A87
  last_name: Assen
  orcid: 0000-0003-3470-6119
- first_name: Jun
  full_name: Abe, Jun
  last_name: Abe
- first_name: Miroslav
  full_name: Hons, Miroslav
  id: 4167FE56-F248-11E8-B48F-1D18A9856A87
  last_name: Hons
  orcid: 0000-0002-6625-3348
- first_name: Robert
  full_name: Hauschild, Robert
  id: 4E01D6B4-F248-11E8-B48F-1D18A9856A87
  last_name: Hauschild
  orcid: 0000-0001-9843-3522
- first_name: Shayan
  full_name: Shamipour, Shayan
  id: 40B34FE2-F248-11E8-B48F-1D18A9856A87
  last_name: Shamipour
- first_name: Walter
  full_name: Kaufmann, Walter
  id: 3F99E422-F248-11E8-B48F-1D18A9856A87
  last_name: Kaufmann
  orcid: 0000-0001-9735-5315
- first_name: Tommaso
  full_name: Costanzo, Tommaso
  id: D93824F4-D9BA-11E9-BB12-F207E6697425
  last_name: Costanzo
  orcid: 0000-0001-9732-3815
- first_name: Gabriel
  full_name: Krens, Gabriel
  id: 2B819732-F248-11E8-B48F-1D18A9856A87
  last_name: Krens
  orcid: 0000-0003-4761-5996
- first_name: Markus
  full_name: Brown, Markus
  id: 3DAB9AFC-F248-11E8-B48F-1D18A9856A87
  last_name: Brown
- first_name: Burkhard
  full_name: Ludewig, Burkhard
  last_name: Ludewig
- first_name: Simon
  full_name: Hippenmeyer, Simon
  id: 37B36620-F248-11E8-B48F-1D18A9856A87
  last_name: Hippenmeyer
  orcid: 0000-0003-2279-1061
- first_name: Carl-Philipp J
  full_name: Heisenberg, Carl-Philipp J
  id: 39427864-F248-11E8-B48F-1D18A9856A87
  last_name: Heisenberg
  orcid: 0000-0002-0912-4566
- first_name: Wolfgang
  full_name: Weninger, Wolfgang
  last_name: Weninger
- first_name: Edouard B
  full_name: Hannezo, Edouard B
  id: 3A9DB764-F248-11E8-B48F-1D18A9856A87
  last_name: Hannezo
  orcid: 0000-0001-6005-1561
- first_name: Sanjiv A.
  full_name: Luther, Sanjiv A.
  last_name: Luther
- first_name: Jens V.
  full_name: Stein, Jens V.
  last_name: Stein
- first_name: Michael K
  full_name: Sixt, Michael K
  id: 41E9FBEA-F248-11E8-B48F-1D18A9856A87
  last_name: Sixt
  orcid: 0000-0002-4561-241X
citation:
  ama: Assen FP, Abe J, Hons M, et al. Multitier mechanics control stromal adaptations
    in swelling lymph nodes. <i>Nature Immunology</i>. 2022;23:1246-1255. doi:<a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/s41590-022-01257-4">10.1038/s41590-022-01257-4</a>
  apa: Assen, F. P., Abe, J., Hons, M., Hauschild, R., Shamipour, S., Kaufmann, W.,
    … Sixt, M. K. (2022). Multitier mechanics control stromal adaptations in swelling
    lymph nodes. <i>Nature Immunology</i>. Springer Nature. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/s41590-022-01257-4">https://doi.org/10.1038/s41590-022-01257-4</a>
  chicago: Assen, Frank P, Jun Abe, Miroslav Hons, Robert Hauschild, Shayan Shamipour,
    Walter Kaufmann, Tommaso Costanzo, et al. “Multitier Mechanics Control Stromal
    Adaptations in Swelling Lymph Nodes.” <i>Nature Immunology</i>. Springer Nature,
    2022. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/s41590-022-01257-4">https://doi.org/10.1038/s41590-022-01257-4</a>.
  ieee: F. P. Assen <i>et al.</i>, “Multitier mechanics control stromal adaptations
    in swelling lymph nodes,” <i>Nature Immunology</i>, vol. 23. Springer Nature,
    pp. 1246–1255, 2022.
  ista: Assen FP, Abe J, Hons M, Hauschild R, Shamipour S, Kaufmann W, Costanzo T,
    Krens G, Brown M, Ludewig B, Hippenmeyer S, Heisenberg C-PJ, Weninger W, Hannezo
    EB, Luther SA, Stein JV, Sixt MK. 2022. Multitier mechanics control stromal adaptations
    in swelling lymph nodes. Nature Immunology. 23, 1246–1255.
  mla: Assen, Frank P., et al. “Multitier Mechanics Control Stromal Adaptations in
    Swelling Lymph Nodes.” <i>Nature Immunology</i>, vol. 23, Springer Nature, 2022,
    pp. 1246–55, doi:<a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/s41590-022-01257-4">10.1038/s41590-022-01257-4</a>.
  short: F.P. Assen, J. Abe, M. Hons, R. Hauschild, S. Shamipour, W. Kaufmann, T.
    Costanzo, G. Krens, M. Brown, B. Ludewig, S. Hippenmeyer, C.-P.J. Heisenberg,
    W. Weninger, E.B. Hannezo, S.A. Luther, J.V. Stein, M.K. Sixt, Nature Immunology
    23 (2022) 1246–1255.
corr_author: '1'
date_created: 2021-08-06T09:09:11Z
date_published: 2022-07-11T00:00:00Z
date_updated: 2025-06-11T13:52:43Z
day: '11'
ddc:
- '570'
department:
- _id: SiHi
- _id: CaHe
- _id: EdHa
- _id: EM-Fac
- _id: Bio
- _id: MiSi
doi: 10.1038/s41590-022-01257-4
ec_funded: 1
external_id:
  isi:
  - '000822975900002'
  pmid:
  - '35817845'
file:
- access_level: open_access
  checksum: 628e7b49809f22c75b428842efe70c68
  content_type: application/pdf
  creator: dernst
  date_created: 2022-07-25T07:11:32Z
  date_updated: 2022-07-25T07:11:32Z
  file_id: '11642'
  file_name: 2022_NatureImmunology_Assen.pdf
  file_size: 11475325
  relation: main_file
  success: 1
file_date_updated: 2022-07-25T07:11:32Z
fulldoi: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41590-022-01257-4
has_accepted_license: '1'
intvolume: '        23'
isi: 1
language:
- iso: eng
month: '07'
oa: 1
oa_version: Published Version
page: 1246-1255
pmid: 1
project:
- _id: 25FE9508-B435-11E9-9278-68D0E5697425
  call_identifier: H2020
  grant_number: '724373'
  name: Cellular Navigation Along Spatial Gradients
publication: Nature Immunology
publication_identifier:
  eissn:
  - 1529-2916
  issn:
  - 1529-2908
publication_status: published
publisher: Springer Nature
quality_controlled: '1'
scopus_import: '1'
status: public
title: Multitier mechanics control stromal adaptations in swelling lymph nodes
tmp:
  image: /images/cc_by.png
  legal_code_url: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode
  name: Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International Public License (CC-BY 4.0)
  short: CC BY (4.0)
type: journal_article
user_id: 2DF688A6-F248-11E8-B48F-1D18A9856A87
volume: 23
year: '2022'
...
