Optogenetic toolkit reveals the role of Ca2+ sparklets in coordinated cell migration.
Significance
In this article, we present a pioneering experimental approach for studying cell migration and more broadly establish representative guidelines for applying an optogenetic approach in biological studies. Using recently developed optogenetic tools, we identified local Ca2+ influx as a major source of Ca2+ for gradient formation and established the functional importance of polarized chemistry in highly coordinated cell migration. These findings provide strong evidence for a mechanism that addresses fundamental questions about front–rear Ca2+ gradients in migrating cells and suggest a previously unidentified role of voltage-dependent Ca2+ channels in the directional migration of nonexcitable cells.