Asymmetric N-cadherin–mediated interactions are sufficient to promote nucleus–centrosome axis orientation but not nucleus off-centering. (A–D) Primary rat astrocytes were plated on circle- or ∩-shaped micropatterns coated with N-cadherin–Fc. (A) Pericentrin (red), pan-cadherin (white, and insets below), and Hoechst (blue) stainings. Dextran fluorescence (green) shows the micropattern. Bar, 10 µm. (B) Schematics defining the two measured parameters: the angle “α” (in degrees) between the centrosome–nucleus axis and the micropattern radius passing through the centrosome (red dot), and the distance “y nucleus” (in micrometers) between nucleus (blue dot) and cell (green cross) centers along the symmetry axis (y axis) of the pattern. (C) Angle distribution from at least 110 cells. Median angles and statistical differences are indicated in red. (D) Y nucleus position (blue circles). The red square and bar show mean values ± SD. (E) Astrocytes were plated on large fibronectin micropatterns, and actin was locally disrupted. Selected phase contrast images were taken from Video 2: t = 0, t = 220 min, and the trajectory followed by the nucleus. The cell center (green cross), the nucleus border (white oval), cell–cell contacts (red broken line), and the free cell edge (purple broken line) are shown. At t = 220 min, cells were fixed and stained with anti-paxillin (green), phalloidin (red), and Hoechst (blue). Right panels show a higher magnification image (indicated by the boxed regions) of the contact-free cell edge under the cytochalasin D flow (5 µM) emanating from a micropipette. Bar, 10 µm.