A study led by Eric Peterman, UW Biology postdoctoral scholar in the Rasmussen Lab, was recently published in Journal of Cell Science. In this paper, the researchers use live imaging, new transgenes and chemical manipulations to identify multiple roles for the microtubule cytoskeleton in Langerhans cells, a type of macrophage found in skin.

Excerpt from Journal of Cell Science Research Highlight:

Specialised macrophages called Langerhans cells respond rapidly to skin damage, migrating to wounds to promote tissue repair. Due to their fast migration and presence in a superficial tissue, these cells represent an important avenue not only in wound healing research but also for studying the fundamental mechanisms of immune cell migration in intact epithelial tissue. Here (Peterman et al., 2025), Eric Peterman, Jeff Rasmussen and colleagues observe Langerhans cell migration in a zebrafish skin explant system. Langerhans cells use long microtubule-containing dendrites to probe through densely packed keratinocytes; however, in contrast to the actin cytoskeleton, much less is understood about how microtubules influence immune cell migration and function. Using a microtubule-binding reporter, the authors demonstrate that Langerhans cell microtubules emanate from a single perinuclear microtubule organising centre (MTOC) that internally relocates proximal to phagocytic sites following skin damage. The orientation of the MTOC relative to the nucleus affects immune cell migration in microfluidic mazes; here, the authors show that MTOC-first positioning might aid Langerhans cells in navigating around keratinocyte obstacles, supporting key in vitro findings. Furthermore, they find that microtubule stability influences dendrite morphology, debris engulfment and directionality of migration in Langerhans cells, indicating that a dynamic microtubule cytoskeleton contributes significantly to immune cell migration and efficient wound repair.

Congratulations, Eric and team!