Eukaryotic cells become polarized in a variety of physiological situations such as during directed migration, differentiation, division, or cell-cell contact formation. These processes require spatiotemporal, subcellular regulation of signaling molecules and cytoskeletal dynamics. We use high resolution fluorescence light microscopy combined with biochemistry and molecular biology to elucidate molecular mechanisms by which intra- and extracellular events result in polarization of the cytoskeleton and cellular behavior. We are particularly interested in the role of the microtubule cytoskeleton in these processes and a fascinating group of proteins that associate with the growing ends of microtubules.
