Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 19, 2026
11:11
Determination of Plasma Membrane Partitioning for Peripherally-associated Proteins
Published on: June 15, 2018
Insights into a plasma membrane signature
1Program on Cell Adhesion, Cancer Research Center, The Burnham Institute, La Jolla, California 92037, USA.
Physiological Genomics
|April 4, 2001
Summary
This study compared plasma membrane (PM) proteomes in fibroblasts and mammary carcinoma cells. It identified common, lineage-linked, and unique proteins, revealing potential drivers of unique cell behaviors and metastatic phenotypes.
Area of Science:
- Cell Biology
- Proteomics
- Cancer Research
Background:
- The plasma membrane (PM) acts as a crucial barrier and communication hub.
- Fundamental questions about PM protein expression diversity remain unanswered.
- Understanding PM proteome variability is key to cell function and disease.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare plasma membrane proteomes of fibroblasts and mammary carcinoma cells.
- To identify commonalities and differences in PM protein expression.
- To investigate proteins associated with the metastatic phenotype.
Main Methods:
- Proteomic analysis of plasma membranes.
- Comparative analysis of protein expression profiles.
- Identification of cell-line-specific proteins.
Main Results:
- Identified three distinct sets of PM proteins: common, lineage-linked, and unique.
- A significant portion of PM proteins (~40%) are linked to cell lineage.
- Discovered unique proteins in metastatic MDA-MB-435 cells, involved in adhesion, translation, and oxidative stress control.
Conclusions:
- Plasma membrane protein composition varies significantly between cell types.
- Unique PM proteins likely dictate specific cell behaviors and phenotypes.
- Proteins identified in metastatic cells offer potential targets for understanding metastasis.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
01:34Fluid Mosaic Model
The fluid mosaic model was first proposed as a visual representation of research observations. The model comprises the composition and dynamics of membranes and serves as a foundation for future membrane-related studies. The model depicts the structure of the plasma membrane with a variety of components, which include phospholipids, proteins, and carbohydrates. These integral molecules are loosely bound, defining the cell’s border and providing fluidity for optimal function.LipidsThe most...
01:16Introduction to Membrane Proteins
The cell membrane, or plasma membrane, is an ever-changing landscape. It is described as a fluid mosaic where various macromolecules are embedded in the phospholipid bilayer. Among the macromolecules are proteins. The protein content varies across cell types. For example, mitochondrial inner membranes contain ~76% protein content, while myelin contains ~18% protein content. Individual cells contain many types of membrane proteins—red blood cells contain over 50—and different cell types have...
01:24What are Membranes?
A cell's plasma membrane demarcates the cell's borders and determines the nature of its interaction with the environment. Cells exclude certain substances, take in others, and excrete some others in controlled quantities. The plasma membrane must be flexible to allow certain cells, such as red and white blood cells, to change their shape while passing through narrow capillaries. These are the more obvious plasma membrane functions. In addition, the plasma membrane's surface carries markers that...
01:19Fluid Mosaic Model
Scientists identified the plasma membrane in the 1890s and its principal chemical components (lipids and proteins) by 1915. The model for plasma membrane structure, proposed in 1935 by Hugh Davson and James Danielli, was the first model to be widely accepted in the scientific community. The model was based on the plasma membrane's "railroad track" appearance in early electron micrographs. Davson and Danielli theorized that the plasma membrane's structure resembled a sandwich with the analogy of...
01:25Single-pass Transmembrane Proteins
Integral membrane proteins are tightly associated with the cell membrane and play a crucial role in cell communication, signaling, adhesion, and transport of the molecules. Some integral membrane proteins are present only in the membrane monolayer. For example, the enzyme fatty acid amide hydrolase is present in the cytoplasmic side of the membrane monolayer. In contrast, another type of integral membrane protein, also known as a transmembrane protein, spans across the membrane. Transmembrane...
01:22Enlargement of the Plasma Membrane
Cell division and enlargement are processes that require precise control. The control ensures that cell division cannot proceed unless the cell has grown to a specific size. A spherical, dividing cell requires an approximately 1.6X increase in its surface area to double its volume. The secretory pathway also has a significant role in cell membrane enlargement. Secretory vesicles that bud off from the Golgi apparatus and later fuse with the plasma membrane during exocytosis are a major source of...