Aurora A rescues MCAK overexpression and promotes long-lived MT growth at the leading edge. (A–F) Overlays of MT growth tracks from 2-min time-lapse videos of mApple-EB3 (2-s intervals) from plusTipTracker software in whole cells (left), and zoom of black-boxed regions (right) of HUVECs overexpressing Em–Aurora A in cells treated with 40 nM Aurora A inhibitor, in MCAK knockdown cells treated with Aurora A inhibitor, in cells cooverexpressing mCherry-MCAK and Em–Aurora A, or in shRNA-treated HUVECs rescued with MCAK S196A or S196E mutant constructs. MT tracks are color coded according to their growth speed and lifetime (color scheme in G). (H–L) Comparison of parameters for MT and cell behavior for the treatments of HUVECs described in A–F. Comparison of mean MT growth excursion lifetimes in whole cells (H) and within the leading and trailing edges of wound-edge HUVECs (I). Quantification of branch number (J) and length (K) in HUVECs cultured on fibronectin-coupled 0.7-kPa polyacrylamide substrates to promote branching morphologies. (L) Quantification of directional HUVEC migration in wound-edge migration assay. Bars: (main) 10 µm; (zoomed) 2 µm. *, P < 0.001; **, P < 0.05. Error bars show ± standard error in H and I and ± standard deviation in J–L.