Directed cell migration occurs in the absence of the nucleus. (A) Stills of a REF52 intact cell and cytoplast migrating. (B) REF52 cell velocity on different concentrations of FN. n ≥ 100 cells per concentration for intact cells and cytoplasts. One-way ANOVA with Tukey’s post-hoc test was performed. (C) HUVEC cell velocity on different concentrations of FN. n ≥ 90 cells per concentration for intact cells and cytoplasts. One-way ANOVA with Tukey’s post-hoc test performed. (D) Histograms (left) from flow cytometry showing β integrin surface expression (top) and forward scatter area (FSC; bottom) for REF52 intact cells and cytoplasts. Graph (top right) of integrin/FSC for β integrins. Images of live-stained REF52 intact cell and cytoplast of equal spread area showing β1 surface staining. Cytometry data from two experiments are shown. (E) Mean cell velocity ± SEM over 24 h of cytoplast migration (n = 121 cells; data from two experiments). Linear regression fit to 24-h period ± 95% CI. (F) Rose plots (left) for intact cells (n = 169) and cytoplasts (n = 197) migrating in a PDGF gradient. Graph (right) showing mean FMI ± 95% CI. (G) Rose plots (left) for intact cells (n = 187) and cytoplasts (n = 199) migrating in a surface-bound FN gradient. Graph (right) showing mean FMI ± 95% CI. (H) Table showing FMI, cell velocity and persistence (displacement over total path length [D/T]) values from chemotaxis and haptotaxis experiments. Student’s t tests were performed. Unless stated otherwise, all data are from at least three independent experiments. Bars, 25 µm. ***, P < 0.001; **, P < 0.01; *, P < 0.05.