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Updated: Jul 18, 2026

Spatio-Temporal Manipulation of Small GTPase Activity at Subcellular Level and on Timescale of Seconds in Living Cells
Published on: March 9, 2012
Activated Cdc42/Rac reconstitutes Fcepsilon RI-mediated Ca2+ mobilization and degranulation in mutant RBL mast cells
E Hong-Geller1, D Holowka, R P Siraganian
1Departments of Molecular Medicine, and Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA.
Mast cells require calcium (Ca2+) mobilization for degranulation during allergic responses. This study reveals that Cdc42 and Rac1 GTPase activation are essential for antigen-stimulated Ca2+ signaling and mast cell degranulation.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Cell Biology
- Molecular Signaling
Background:
- Mast cells mediate allergic responses through IgE-dependent FcepsilonRI signaling.
- Antigen stimulation triggers a signaling cascade involving Ca2+ mobilization essential for mast cell degranulation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of Cdc42 and Rac1 GTPases in antigen-stimulated mast cell signaling.
- To identify critical signaling components downstream of tyrosine phosphorylation in mast cell activation.
Main Methods:
- Utilized mutant RBL mast cells defective in phospholipase Cgamma (PLCgamma) activation.
- Assessed the restoration of Ca2+ mobilization and degranulation by expressing various forms of Cdc42 and Rac1.
- Investigated the effect of oncogenic Dbl and PLCgamma1 overexpression.
Main Results:
- Activated Cdc42 or Rac1 restored antigen-stimulated Ca2+ mobilization and degranulation in mutant mast cells.
- Wild-type Cdc42/Rac1 and certain activated Cdc42 mutants failed to restore signaling.
- Oncogenic Dbl partially restored Ca2+ mobilization, suggesting impaired endogenous Cdc42/Rac1 activation.
- Co-expression of PLCgamma1 with activated Cdc42/Rac1 synergistically enhanced degranulation.
Conclusions:
- Cdc42 and/or Rac1 activation are crucial for early signaling events in antigen-stimulated mast cell degranulation.
- The findings highlight a critical role for these GTPases in the FcepsilonRI signaling pathway.
- Defects in PLCgamma activation in mutant cells can be partially overcome by Cdc42/Rac1 activation.
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