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Mechanism of Lamellipodia Formation

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...

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Phagocytosis

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Related Experiment Video

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"Phagosome Closure Assay" to Visualize Phagosome Formation in Three Dimensions Using Total Internal Reflection Fluorescent Microscopy (TIRFM)

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Published on: August 26, 2016

Self-organizing actin waves as planar phagocytic cup structures.

Günther Gerisch¹, Mary Ecke, Britta Schroth-Diez

¹Max-Planck-Institut für Biochemie, Martinsried, Germany. gerisch@biochem.mpg.de

Cell Adhesion & Migration

|October 27, 2009

Summary

Actin waves on cell membranes may act as "phagocytic scouts," exploring surfaces for particles to engulf. These dynamic structures mimic phagocytic cups, suggesting a novel mechanism for particle uptake in immune cells.

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"Phagosome Closure Assay" to Visualize Phagosome Formation in Three Dimensions Using Total Internal Reflection Fluorescent Microscopy (TIRFM)

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Area of Science:

Cell biology
Biophysics

Background:

Actin dynamics drive cellular processes, including cell shape changes and motility.
Dynamic actin structures, like waves, can form on cell membranes, influencing cellular behavior.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the nature and function of actin waves on cell membranes.
To explore the potential role of actin waves in phagocytosis and particle uptake.

Main Methods:

Observation of actin wave dynamics in substrate-attached cells.
Analysis of membrane lipid composition in relation to actin wave patterns.
Experimentation with particle uptake in wave-forming cells.

Main Results:

Actin waves exhibit dynamic properties: variable shape, reversible propagation, fusion, and division.
Actin waves segregate distinct plasma membrane lipid phases.
The area enclosed by actin waves resembles the phosphoinositide content of phagocytic cups.
Wave-forming cells show increased particle uptake, with elongated cups mirroring wave patterns when ingesting rod-shaped particles.

Conclusions:

Actin waves may represent in-plane phagocytic structures, capable of initiating particle engulfment without external particle attachment.
Actin waves facilitate surface scanning by phagocytes, potentially enhancing their ability to detect and engulf particles.