Effects of nocodazole, a new synthetic microtubule inhibitor, on movement and spreading of mouse peritoneal macrophages.

Colchicine treatment enhances movement and suppresses spreading of mouse peritoneal macrophages. The effects of colchicine could result either from disruption or cytoplasmic microtubules or from other actions of colchicine on mammalian cell processes. Nocodazole is a new synthetic microtubule inhibitor that is structurally dissimilar to colchicine and is therefore unlikely to share with colchicine any common action besides of inhibition of microtubule assembly. Nocodazole was shown here to have activities similar to colchicine on macrophage migration and spreading. This supports the idea of a direct relationship between disruption of cytoplasmic microtubules and macrophage migration and spreading.