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Related Concept Videos

Types of Membrane Protrusions01:28

Types of Membrane Protrusions

The protrusion of the cell surface is an initial step for several cellular processes, including cell migration, phagocytosis, and neurite outgrowth. These membrane protrusions are a result of cytoskeletal rearrangement. The most  widely observed cell protrusions include lamellipodia, pseudopodia, filopodia, microvilli, invadopodia, and podosomes. These protrusions can be of two types — static or dynamic.
The microvilli, an example of stable protrusions, are finger-like projections with a...
Cell Migration01:09

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Cell migration, the process by which cells move from one location to another, is essential for the proper development and viability of organisms throughout their life. When cells are not able to migrate properly to their ordained locations, various disorders may occur. For example, disruption in cell migration causes chronic inflammatory diseases such as arthritis.
Mechanism of Lamellipodia Formation01:31

Mechanism of Lamellipodia Formation

Cells migrating in response to external stimuli form lamellipodia, which are thin membrane protrusions supported by a mesh of linked, branched, or unbranched actin filaments. These actin filaments interact with myosin motor proteins, creating the dynamic actomyosin complex within the cytoskeleton. Contractility, or the ability to generate contractile stress, is inherent to the actomyosin complex. It helps cells detect the stiffness of the surrounding ECM and exert contractile force for...
Mechanism of Filopodia Formation01:39

Mechanism of Filopodia Formation

Filopodia are thin, actin-rich cellular protrusions that play an important role in many fundamental cellular functions. They vary in their occurrence, length, and positioning in different cell types, suggesting their diverse roles.
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Mechanisms of Membrane-bending01:15

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The living membranes are flexible due to their fluid mosaic nature; however, their bending into different shapes is an active process regulated by specific lipids and proteins. The membrane bending can be transient as seen in vesicles or stable for a long time as in microvilli. Cells regulate the size, location, and duration of the membrane curvature.
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Mechanisms of Membrane Domain Formation00:59

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Different physical properties of lipids and proteins allow them to localize and form distinct islands or domains in the membrane. Some membrane domains are formed due to protein-protein interactions, whereas others are formed due to the presence of specific lipids such as sphingolipids and sterols—for example, large proteins, such as bacteriorhodopsin, aggregate and create distinct domains.
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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 30, 2026

Quantitative Analysis of Cell Edge Dynamics during Cell Spreading
10:54

Quantitative Analysis of Cell Edge Dynamics during Cell Spreading

Published on: May 22, 2021

Physical model for membrane protrusions during spreading.

F Chamaraux1, O Ali, S Keller

  • 1Université Joseph Fourier, Structure et Propriétés des Architectures Moléculaires, UMR 5819 CNRS, CEA-Grenoble, Grenoble Cedex 9, France.

Physical Biology
|October 1, 2008
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

This study models cell spreading kinetics using a physical approach, linking actin polymerization to membrane stress. The findings reveal characteristic lengths and timescales dependent on membrane-cytoskeleton interactions and elastic properties.

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Last Updated: Jun 30, 2026

Quantitative Analysis of Cell Edge Dynamics during Cell Spreading
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07:49

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Published on: January 22, 2019

Area of Science:

  • Cell biology
  • Biophysics
  • Theoretical physics

Background:

  • Cell spreading on substrates is a fundamental process in cell motility.
  • Membrane tension is a known regulator of cell spreading dynamics.
  • Ameboid motility involves membrane detachment from the cytoskeleton at the leading edge.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To develop a physical model for cell spreading kinetics in ameboid motility.
  • To investigate the coupling between actin polymerization rate and stress at the cell-substrate contact margin.
  • To define characteristic lengths and timescales based on the model.

Main Methods:

  • A phenomenological feedback loop was used to mimic stress-dependent biochemistry.
  • The model couples actin polymerization rate to stress buildup at the contact area margin.
  • Analysis was performed in the limit of small membrane tension variation.

Main Results:

  • The actin polymerization rate was expressed in a closed form under specific conditions.
  • Characteristic lengths were defined, dependent on membrane-cytoskeleton elastic properties and polymerization rates.
  • The model predicts characteristic timescales as a function of membrane-cytoskeleton adherence strength.

Conclusions:

  • The proposed physical model provides insights into the regulation of cell spreading kinetics.
  • The model highlights the role of membrane tension and cytoskeleton interactions in cell motility.
  • The derived characteristic lengths and timescales are crucial for understanding cell mechanical behavior.