Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 22, 2026

Bead Aggregation Assays for the Characterization of Putative Cell Adhesion Molecules
Published on: October 17, 2014
Adducin forms a bridge between the erythrocyte membrane and its cytoskeleton and regulates membrane cohesion
William A Anong1, Taina Franco, Haiyan Chu
1Department of Chemistry, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907-2084, USA.
Abstract:
The erythrocyte membrane skeleton is the best understood cytoskeleton. Because its protein components have homologs in virtually all other cells, the membrane serves as a fundamental model of biologic membranes. Modern textbooks portray the membrane as a 2-dimensional spectrin-based membrane skeleton attached to a lipid bilayer through 2 linkages: band 3-ankyrin-beta-spectrin and glycophorin C-protein 4.1-beta-spectrin.(1-7) Although evidence supports an essential role for the first bridge in regulating membrane cohesion, rupture of the glycophorin C-protein 4.1 interaction has little effect on membrane stability.(8) We demonstrate the existence of a novel band 3-adducin-spectrin bridge that connects the spectrin/actin/protein 4.1 junctional complex to the bilayer. As rupture of this bridge leads to spontaneous membrane fragmentation, we conclude that the band 3-adducin-spectrin bridge is important to membrane stability. The required relocation of part of the band 3 population to the spectrin/actin junctional complex and its formation of a new bridge with adducin necessitates a significant revision of accepted models of the erythrocyte membrane.
Related Concept Videos
Adherens Junctions
Adherens Junctions are Dynamic
The endothelial cells...
Anchoring Junctions
Cell Motility through Blebbing
Blebbing Through the Matrix
In multicellular...
Intracellular Signaling Affects Focal Adhesions
Some...
Tension Response at Adherens Junctions
α-Catenin as a Mechanosensory Protein
The α-catenin of adherens junctions is an allosteric protein with three VH (vinculin homology) domains...
Membrane Asymmetry Regulating Transporters
Flippase
Eukaryotic flippases are type-IV P-type ATPases or P4-ATPases belonging to P-type ATPase family proteins that are membrane-bound pumps involved in the ATP-mediated transport of ions and molecules across the membrane. Flippases flip specific phospholipids from the outer to the inner leaflet of a membrane. All P4-ATPases have one...

