Midway through the high speed playback of the time-lapse sequence, a cell with three nuclei is formed. This can be observed along the lower left side of the field of view. As an A-10 myoblast begins to modify its shape into a sphere, the typical form many cells take before cell division, a migrating myoblast passing by is pulled into the mass and the original cell never completes the division cycle. Though the myoblast appears to have mitotically produced a second nucleus, which with the nucleus added from the nearby cell totals three nuclei, the cytoplasmic contents of the cell never experience cytokinesis. The three nuclei present in the cell are readily distinguishable as the large myoblast resettles on the surface of the imaging chamber.

Only six cells are in complete view as the sequence initiates, but due to numerous divisions and the dynamics of the cells, there is very limited space by the time the video ends. Consequently, many of the movements of the closely aligned cells overlap, and some of the myoblasts appear to crawl over others. Notably, when a binucleated cell on the left side of the field of view retracts its surface extensions to prepare for mitosis late in the video, nearby cells quickly extend their lamellipodia to fill in the resulting gaps.

Many cells assume a roughly triangular shape while they are actively migrating to new locations. The leading edge of a traveling cell is typically broad, as an expanse of lamellipodia is extended and contracted to pull the cell along its path. The rest of the cell is generally less active, essentially trailing along the front margin. The rear of the migrating cell tapers into a uropod, a term that in Greek literally means “tail-foot.” The uropod, which is also commonly referred to as a retraction fiber, periodically snaps back into the central portion of the cell as if it were a piece of elastic stretched too far. The snapping action can be observed during the progression of some of the featured A-10 myoblasts.