The movement of microorganisms, including some eukaryotic cells and bacteria, is essential for numerous biological functions. The motility mechanisms of bacteria and eukaryotic cells are very different, but they share something in common: motility and its transport properties are the result of a complex interplay between the internal machinery of cells and the environment.
Cells need to sense and respond to environmental signals that tell them when and where to move. They also need to navigate complex landscapes, such as crawling across the extracellular matrix (ECM) or swimming through the bloodstream. In addition, cells can create their own signals by secreting and degrading chemoattractants to establish self-generated gradients or modify their environment by reorganizing the ECM and creating a footprint.
To fully understand the mechanisms underlying cell movement and migration, we need to study these phenomena in the context in which they occur. Thus, it is essential to consider the relationship between cells and their environment when studying the complex process of motility and migration.
