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MIGRASOME SCIENCE

Migrasome: A Migration-Dependent Organelle Connecting Cell Movement and Communication

Migrasomes are specialized organelles generated during cell migration that enable spatially controlled signaling, molecular transfer and cellular homeostasis.

A migrating cell moving forward while forming multiple migrasomes containing intraluminal vesicles along trailing retraction fibers

01 / WHAT

A migrating cell leaves migrasomes and localized signals along its trail while nearby cells receive signals at different positions

A New Cellular Structure Discovered from Cell Migration

Unlike conventional extracellular vesicles, migrasomes arise through a migration-dependent process and show distinctive features including retraction-fiber connection, a large membrane-bound architecture, intraluminal vesicles and enriched molecular cargo.

Cell migration is fundamental to development, immunity, tissue repair and disease progression. Migrating cells leave behind membrane structures called retraction fibers, where migrasomes form and reveal a previously unknown connection between cell movement and intercellular communication.

Understand what migrasomes are

Formation mechanism: From membrane-domain nucleation to structural expansion

Explore the formation mechanism
  1. 01

    Nucleation · SMS2 / Sphingomyelin

    SMS2-dependent sphingomyelin production defines specialized membrane domains that initiate migrasome formation.

    SMS2 and sphingomyelin enrichment forming a localized nucleation domain on a retraction-fiber membrane
  2. 02

    Maturation · PIP5K1A / Rab35 / Integrin

    The PIP5K1A-PI(4,5)P2-Rab35-integrin signaling axis establishes mechanically stable formation sites.

    PIP5K1A and Rab35 above a membrane swelling while integrin anchors the membrane structure to extracellular matrix
  3. 03

    Expansion · TSPAN4 / TEM-TEMA

    Tetraspanin-enriched membrane domains assemble into larger structures that increase membrane rigidity and stabilize migrasome growth.

    TSPAN4 and TEM enriched on an expanding migrasome membrane with multiple smaller vesicles visible inside

02 / WHY

Migrasomes: Key Players in Diverse Biological Functions

Migrasomes contribute to spatial signaling, cargo transfer and organelle quality control, supporting essential functions across biological systems.

  1. A large migrasome on a retraction fiber releasing red signaling molecules locally

    Local Signaling and Spatial Organization

    Migrasomes establish localized signaling environments along migration paths, influencing nearby cells.

  2. A migrasome containing protein and RNA cargo positioned between a donor migrating cell and a recipient cell

    Protein and RNA Transfer

    Migrasomes can carry functional cargo, providing a model for material transfer between cells.

  3. A migrating cell transporting damaged mitochondrial material through a retraction fiber into a large terminal migrasome

    Organelle Quality Control

    Damaged mitochondrial material can be routed to migrasomes, linking cell movement with cellular homeostasis.

Explore migrasome functions

03 / VALUE

Emerging Roles in Disease Biology and Translational Research

Migrasome research is expanding into multiple disease-related fields, creating new directions for mechanism studies, biomarkers and engineered platforms.

Cancer Biology

  • Tumor microenvironment
  • Metastasis-associated communication
  • Immune modulation

Immunology

  • Cytokine delivery
  • Immune-cell communication
  • Inflammatory regulation

Biomarker and Engineering Potential

  • Circulating migrasomes
  • Disease-monitoring research
  • Engineered migrasome platforms

Migrasome research timeline

  1. A migrating cell leaves migrasomes and localized signals along its trail while nearby cells receive signals at different positions

    Migrasomes and migracytosis formally defined

    Established the concept of migrasomes linked to cell-migration trails.

  2. A migrating cell moving forward while forming multiple migrasomes containing intraluminal vesicles along trailing retraction fibers

    Integrin–ECM pairing

    Showed how extracellular-matrix pairing influences migrasome formation.

  3. SMS2 and sphingomyelin enrichment forming a localized nucleation domain on a retraction-fiber membrane

    TEMA and membrane organisation

    Described macro-scale assembly of tetraspanin-enriched domains.

  4. A migrating cell transporting damaged mitochondrial material through a retraction fiber into a large terminal migrasome

    Mitocytosis

    Connected migrasomes with mitochondrial quality control.

  5. PIP5K1A and Rab35 above a membrane swelling while integrin anchors the membrane structure to extracellular matrix

    SMS2 nucleation mechanism

    Clarified how lipid foci initiate formation sites.

  6. A labeled coagulation mechanism diagram shows proportionally scaled neutrophil-derived migrasomes carrying surface coagulation factors that activate nearby platelets and promote a local fibrin-stabilized thrombus on collagen.

    Coagulation research

    Neutrophil-derived migrasomes were identified as an important component of the coagulation system.

  7. Migrasome research workflow showing live-cell imaging, marker colocalization, isolation and purification, multi-omics and functional validation

    A decade of migrasome research

    Explore methods, tools, mechanisms, and functions in migrasome research.

04 / HOW

How to Conduct Migrasome Research

OBSERVE IN SITU

Observe in situ

How can migrasome formation and distribution be confirmed in situ?

Migrasome formation is closely linked to cell-migration trajectories. High-resolution live-cell imaging can resolve the spatial relationships among migrasomes, retraction fibers and migration paths while recording where and when they form, providing spatial and temporal references for downstream isolation, purification and functional studies.

Morphology · position · dynamics
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ISOLATE & PURIFY

Isolate & purify

How can samples be prepared for downstream analysis?

Select an appropriate strategy for each sample type. Migrasome Therapeutics provides complete solutions for cultured cells, whole blood/plasma and tissue samples, helping researchers establish reproducible preparation workflows, effectively remove matrix and vesicular impurities, and obtain migrasome samples suitable for downstream analysis.

Recovery · purity · reproducibility
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FUNCTIONAL VALIDATION

Functional validation

Do these migrasomes have an interpretable biological effect?

Use recipient-cell functional assays, migrasome cargo functional assessment, and genetic or pharmacological perturbations to test causal associations between migrasomes and specific cellular phenotypes.

Transfer · phenotype · causal evidence

Functional validation experiments vary by research objective and are typically designed by investigators for their specific studies. The Migrasome technical team can support the full workflow, from experimental design to data interpretation, with practical experience and technical guidance.

Consult the technical team
Explore migrasome research methods