Living cells are constantly exposed to mechanical stimuli arising from the surrounding
extracellular matrix (ECM) or from neighboring cells. The intracellular molecular processes …

Non-muscle myosin II (NM II) is an actin-binding protein that has actin cross-linking and
contractile properties and is regulated by the phosphorylation of its light and heavy chains …

Cell shape changes underlie a large set of biological processes ranging from cell division to
cell motility. Stereotyped patterns of cell shape changes also determine tissue remodeling …

Radiation therapy induces DNA damage and inflammation leading to fibrosis. Fibrosis can
occur 4 to 12 months after radiation therapy. This process worsens with time and years …

Generating force and movement is essential for the functions of cells and organisms. A
variety of molecular motors that can move on tracks within cells have evolved to serve this …

Cells are active materials; they can change shape using internal energy to build contractile
networks of actin filaments and myosin motors. Contractility of the actomyosin cortex is tightly …

Non-muscle myosin II has diverse functions in cell contractility, cytokinesis and locomotion,
but the specific contributions of its different isoforms have yet to be clarified. Here, we report …

The myosin family of actin filament-based molecular motors consists of at least 20
structurally and functionally distinct classes. The human genome contains nearly 40 myosin …

Blebbistatin is a small molecule inhibitor discovered in a screen for inhibitors of nonmuscle
myosin IIA. We have examined the specificity and potency of the drug by assaying its effects …

For many years, analyses of the role of the actomyosin cytoskeleton in many basic cellular
processes have centered on actin. Increasingly, however, a number of investigators are …