Electric Field Guidance of Actin Waves*

Directional cell migration induced by a DC electric field (DC EF) is an important physiological process involved in wound healing, development, and regeneration. This phenomenon is modulated by the self-generating waves of signaling molecules and actin traveling on cell membranes. It has been shown that chemical perturbations of wave components lead to changes in migratory behaviors. Here we first study how a DC EF provides a unidirectional perturbation of the actin wave patterns, then study the combined perturbation by a DC EF and nanotopography. By quantifying spatial-temporal actin wave patterns, we show that DC EFs can guide actin wave propagation, lead to inhomogeneous activities of actin waves, and alter cell migratory modes.