Cells

• Oregon Health & Science University researchers revealed a previously unknown system of directed fluid flows within cells that rapidly transport essential proteins to the cell's leading edge, published today in Nature Communications. • The breakthrough emerged from an accidental observation during a neurobiology course when scientists used lasers to track protein movement and discovered an unexpected wave of soluble actin being pushed forward rather than drifting randomly through the cell. • The discovery fundamentally reshapes understanding of cell migration, cancer metastasis, and wound healing by revealing that cells use active internal mechanisms rather than passive diffusion to position critical proteins.

• An NIH-funded mouse study shows chronic colitis induces long-lasting epigenetic changes in gut stem cells, boosting AP-1 transcription factor activity and tumor growth potential. • Researchers analyzed over 52,000 cells, finding damage memories persist more than 100 days after inflammation ends, heritable across new cells. • The findings from Broad Institute scientists explain how sustained inflammation elevates colorectal cancer risk through dynamic epigenome alterations.

• Engineers at Washington University in St. Louis discovered that cells can sense far beyond the surfaces they touch through a process called "depth mechano-sensing," with clusters of normal epithelial cells detecting layers as far as 100 microns away by tugging on surrounding collagen fibers. • Individual cancer cells can probe about 10 microns ahead, while normal cell clusters working together can sense 10 times farther, helping cells decide where to migrate and providing new insights into cancer cell behavior. • The findings, published in PNAS, could reveal new targets to prevent cancer from spreading and advance understanding of how cancer cells move through the body.