Contractility wins over the polarity pathway in a tug-of-war to position a cytokinesis-like actomyosin ring at the equator of notochord cells.

Novel insights into LIS1-dependent regulation of cell membrane contractility and cleavage axis specification identify a key molecular network regulating mitoses of neural progenitors and somatic cells during development.

Cannabinoids inhibit neuronal expansion and growth through the rapid contraction of actomyosin.

During mouse preimplantation development, the complete loss of actomyosin contractility abolishes cytokinesis but not apico-basal polarisation, lineage specification, or fluid accumulation, which are the critical steps to the formation of the blastocyst.

The Rho kinases ROCK1 and 2 act redundantly in regulating cell proliferation and their depletion causes cellular senescence.

Protein phosphatase 1 activity promotes cohesive collective cell migration by restricting actomyosin contractility to the periphery of the collective and maintaining proper cadherin–catenin complex protein levels at cell–cell junctions.

Deep penetration and transmission of mechanical force to regulate ER functions depends on not only the passive cytoskeletal support, but also the active actomyosin contractility, which is dispensable for mechanotransduction at the plasma membrane.

The mechanical response of adherent cells in structured environments is shown to be shaped by the intricate interplay between the three different isoforms of an essential molecular motor.

The RhoGTPase domain containing protein GRAF recruits to the cleavage furrow during myosin II assembly to hydrolyze Rho-GTP and restrict actomyosin contractility for regulating the time of onset of constriction during Drosophila cellularization.

High-resolution live imaging analysis shows a constriction mechanism that drives zebrafish optic cup morphogenesis and highlights the role of the extracellular matrix in transmitting tensions beyond the cellular level.