Ultimately, this combination of bioelectric perturbations allowed us to validate the role of stretch-induced electric fields in guiding collective cell migration via #electrotaxis in vivo...

Furthermore, we screened for candidate sensors of these currents and discovered that while NOT being required for #cellmotility or #chemotaxis ! #VSP1 works as a SPECIFIC #electrosensor which translates electric fields into directed motion in vivo... (#electrotaxis)

... then using Genetically Encoded Voltage Indicators (#GEVIs #VoltageImaging) we also demonstrated that neural crests are an excitable cell population and that endogenous electric fields are sufficient to depolarize neural crest cells in vivo and ex vivo...

… we also observed that the establishment of these endogenous current patterns rely in a dorso-ventral gradient of membrane stretch, which in turn differentially activates #iongatedchannels to fuel the #ElectricField in vivo...

By measuring electric currents in the migratory path of #Xenopus #NeuralCrest cells we found bioelectric patterns that resemble electric fields... we are still puzzled about the nature of these currents!