Filopodia are composed of thin membrane protrusions that typically contain bundles of parallel actin filaments, rather than branched, and are used to dynamically extend and retract helping cells to sense their environment and guide migration (Goode and Eck, 2007).

How do cells move using filopodia?

The direction of lateral filopodial movement is associated with the direction of cell migration. When lateral filopodia initiate from and move toward only one side of a cell, the cell will turn opposite to the direction of filopodial flow.

What is filopodia function?

Filopodia are thin, actin-rich plasma-membrane protrusions that function as antennae for cells to probe their environment. Consequently, filopodia have an important role in cell migration, neurite outgrowth and wound healing and serve as precursors for dendritic spines in neurons.