These processes inlude coordinated cellular behaviors important during the development of multi-cellular organisms. A defining example of this type of behavior occurs during cellular wound healing. In the movie presented below (Pinco et. al, MBOC, v. 13(9), 2002), a monolayer of Chinese Hamster Ovary (CHO) cells are "wounded". We can observe the general behaviors of cells migrating into the open "wound". We can also observe a series of discrete cellular behaviors that include "ruffling" of plasma membranes, re-orientation of nuclei, as well as cell division.

Our challenge is to understand the cellular machinery that allows cells to undergo "basic" processes such as cell division as well as the more "complex" behavior associated with wound healing.

The movie below is the experiment we viewed in class and is related to the clicker question. When the "+Noc" text appears, a drug has been added to to the cells. When a "-Noc" appears, the drug has been washed out. Notice the changes in cell behavior over time. What happens, first, second etc? What happens when the drug is washed out?

What do we want to know?

1. Cell membrane movements
-Membrane "blebbing"
-Membrane compartments

2. Cell adhesion
-"Sticky stuff" in right place
-Protein transport

3. Movement of cells
-Cytoskeleton
-Force, contraction

4. Cell Division
-Control of cell cycle
-Chromosome segregation

5. Decision making
-Signals, communication

6. Mistakes
-Diseases: Cancer