Figure 2

Differentiation of the actin system in cell motility, mitosis, and particle uptake (top row), as compared to the wave pattern formed during a transient stage of recovery from actin depolymerization (bottom left). In this pattern actin waves surround an inner territory corresponding to the front of a motile cell and separate this area from an external one that corresponds to the tail of the cell. We are making use of the opportunity to apply TIRF microscopy on a planar substrate surface to visualize transitions between the two states of actin organization that are separated by a wave (bottom middle).