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Related Concept Videos

Fusion of Secretory Vesicles with the Plasma Membrane01:26

Fusion of Secretory Vesicles with the Plasma Membrane

Proteins and neurotransmitters in secretory vesicles can be released from a cell upon vesicle docking, priming, and fusion with the plasma membrane. Vesicles are docked and primed in preparation for the quick exocytosis of their contents in response to a stimulus. The fusion process is mainly carried out by a SNAP Receptor or SNARE complex, consisting of synaptobrevin, syntaxin-1, and SNAP-25.
In 1993, Jim Rothman proposed that the antiparallel pairing of vesicular and transmembrane SNAREs, or...
SNAREs and Membrane Fusion01:43

SNAREs and Membrane Fusion

Once a transport vesicle has recognized its target organelle, the vesicular membrane needs to fuse with the target membrane to unload the cargo. Transmembrane proteins called SNAREs present on organelle membranes and their vesicles, mediate vesicle fusion.
SNAREs exist in pairs that symmetrically interact and catalyze the fusion of the lipid bilayers in vesicle and target organelle. v-SNARE in the vesicle membrane are single polypeptide chains that bind to a complementary t-SNARE, composed of 2...
Vesicular Tubular Clusters01:45

Vesicular Tubular Clusters

After budding out from the ER membrane, some COPII vesicles lose their coat and fuse with one another to form larger vesicles and interconnected tubules called vesicular tubular clusters or VTCs. These clusters constitute a compartment at the ER-Golgi interface known as ERGIC (Endoplasmic Reticulum Golgi Intermediate Compartment). The ERGIC is a mobile membrane-bound cargo transport system that sorts proteins secreted from ER and delivers them to the Golgi.
With the help of motor proteins such...
Excitation-Contraction Coupling in Skeletal Muscles01:20

Excitation-Contraction Coupling in Skeletal Muscles

Excitation-contraction coupling is a series of events that occur between generating an action potential and initiating a muscle contraction. It occurs at the triad, a structure found in skeletal muscle fibers that comprise a T-tubule and terminal cisternae of the sarcoplasmic reticulum on each side. These triads are visible in longitudinally sectioned muscle fibers. They are typically located at the A-I junction — the junction between the A and I bands of the sarcomere.
When an action potential...
Relaxation of Skeletal Muscles01:29

Relaxation of Skeletal Muscles

The period of muscle contraction primarily influences the duration of stimulation at the neuromuscular junction (NMJ), the presence of free calcium ions in the sarcoplasm, and the availability of energy or ATP to support contractions.
When an action potential reaches the axon terminal, it depolarizes the membrane and opens voltage-gated sodium channels. Sodium ions enter the cell, further depolarizing the presynaptic membrane. This depolarization causes voltage-gated calcium channels to open.
Smooth Muscle Contraction01:25

Smooth Muscle Contraction

Smooth muscle contraction is a complex process vital for various bodily functions, from maintaining blood vessel tension to facilitating the movement of food through the digestive tract. Unlike striated muscles, smooth muscle contraction begins more slowly and lasts longer.
The onset of contraction is triggered by an increase in calcium ions within the sarcoplasm, similar to the process in striated muscle. However, smooth muscles have a relatively smaller reservoir of the sarcoplasmic...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 7, 2026

Imaging Plasma Membrane Deformations With pTIRFM
12:28

Imaging Plasma Membrane Deformations With pTIRFM

Published on: April 2, 2014

Ca++-induced fusion of fragmented sarcoplasmic reticulum with artificial planar bilayers.

C Miller, E Racker

    The Journal of Membrane Biology
    |December 1, 1976
    PubMed
    Summary
    This summary is machine-generated.

    Sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) vesicles fuse with black lipid membranes (BLMs), increasing conductance. This fusion, dependent on calcium and specific lipids, inserts functional membrane pathways, offering a novel method for vesicle integration.

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    Measurement of Calcium Fluctuations Within the Sarcoplasmic Reticulum of Cultured Smooth Muscle Cells Using FRET-based Confocal Imaging
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    Measurement of Calcium Fluctuations Within the Sarcoplasmic Reticulum of Cultured Smooth Muscle Cells Using FRET-based Confocal Imaging

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    SNARE-mediated Fusion of Single Proteoliposomes with Tethered Supported Bilayers in a Microfluidic Flow Cell Monitored by Polarized TIRF Microscopy
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    SNARE-mediated Fusion of Single Proteoliposomes with Tethered Supported Bilayers in a Microfluidic Flow Cell Monitored by Polarized TIRF Microscopy

    Published on: August 24, 2016

    Related Experiment Videos

    Last Updated: Jul 7, 2026

    Imaging Plasma Membrane Deformations With pTIRFM
    12:28

    Imaging Plasma Membrane Deformations With pTIRFM

    Published on: April 2, 2014

    Measurement of Calcium Fluctuations Within the Sarcoplasmic Reticulum of Cultured Smooth Muscle Cells Using FRET-based Confocal Imaging
    10:05

    Measurement of Calcium Fluctuations Within the Sarcoplasmic Reticulum of Cultured Smooth Muscle Cells Using FRET-based Confocal Imaging

    Published on: June 20, 2016

    SNARE-mediated Fusion of Single Proteoliposomes with Tethered Supported Bilayers in a Microfluidic Flow Cell Monitored by Polarized TIRF Microscopy
    10:58

    SNARE-mediated Fusion of Single Proteoliposomes with Tethered Supported Bilayers in a Microfluidic Flow Cell Monitored by Polarized TIRF Microscopy

    Published on: August 24, 2016

    Area of Science:

    • Membrane Biophysics
    • Lipid Bilayer Systems
    • Vesicle Fusion Dynamics

    Background:

    • Black lipid membranes (BLMs) are model systems for studying membrane properties.
    • Sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) vesicles contain ion transport proteins crucial for cellular function.
    • Understanding vesicle-membrane interactions is key to biomimetic system development.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To investigate the fusion of sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) vesicles with black lipid membranes (BLMs).
    • To characterize the conditions and mechanisms governing SR vesicle fusion with BLMs.
    • To establish a novel method for incorporating functional membrane pathways into an electrically accessible system.

    Main Methods:

    • Addition of fragmented SR vesicles to the aqueous phase of a BLM.
    • Monitoring BLM conductance changes over time using sensitive electrophysiological techniques.
    • Varying concentrations of Ca++, acidic phospholipids, and osmotic gradients to determine fusion requirements.

    Main Results:

    • SR vesicle addition caused a rapid, significant increase in BLM conductance.
    • Conductance increase was dependent on Ca++, acidic phospholipids in the BLM, and an osmotic gradient across the SR vesicle membrane.
    • Conductance rose in discrete steps, with step size correlating to SR vesicle surface area, indicating single vesicle fusion events.

    Conclusions:

    • SR vesicles fuse with BLMs under specific conditions, inserting functional conductance pathways.
    • Each conductance jump likely represents the fusion of a single SR vesicle.
    • This fusion process provides a generalizable method for integrating membrane vesicles into electrically accessible systems.