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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.
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Anchoring junctions are multiprotein complexes that help cells connect to other cells and the extracellular matrix. Anchoring junctions are present on the lateral and basal surfaces of cells, providing strong and flexible connections. Focal adhesions are often formed due to cell interactions with the ECM substrata, which initiate signal transduction via kinase cascades and other mechanisms. Together, they provide stability and tissue integrity. There are three types of anchoring junctions:...
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Tension Gauge Tether Probes for Quantifying Growth Factor Mediated Integrin Mechanics and Adhesion
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Cell protrusions and tethers: a unified approach.

Maria K Pospieszalska1, Irena Lasiecka, Klaus Ley

  • 1Division of Inflammation Biology, La Jolla Institute for Allergy and Immunology, La Jolla, California, USA.

Biophysical Journal
|April 6, 2011
PubMed
Summary

Cell surface protrusions transition to tethers under pulling forces. This study introduces a unified biomechanical model, predicting crossover time and tether behavior for cell membrane mechanics research.

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Area of Science:

  • Biophysics
  • Cell Biology
  • Materials Science

Background:

  • Cell surface protrusions and tethers are formed by pulling forces on cell membranes.
  • The transition from protrusion to tether (crossover) is a critical biomechanical event.
  • Existing models lack a unified approach for protrusions and tethers.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To develop a unified biomechanical model for cell surface protrusions and tethers.
  • To provide new insights into the mechanics of membrane separation from the cytoskeleton.
  • To derive predictive formulas for crossover phenomena and tether behavior.

Main Methods:

  • Theoretical derivation of conditions for protrusion-to-tether crossover.
  • Formulation of a unified model for protrusion and tether biomechanics.
  • Introduction of general parameters: spring constant and effective viscosity.
  • Modeling tether elongation as a nonlinearly decaying spring (NLDs-viscoelastic) material.

Main Results:

  • A necessary and sufficient condition for crossover is derived.
  • Formulas for crossover time and dynamic equilibrium conditions for tethers are established.
  • First estimates for neutrophil protrusion parameters: 50 pN μm⁻¹ (spring constant) and 9 pN s μm⁻¹ (effective viscosity).
  • The model accurately describes published experimental results for protrusion and tether pulling.

Conclusions:

  • The proposed unified model offers new insights into cell surface mechanics.
  • The model is universally applicable to tether pulling experiments.
  • It provides a framework for understanding cell membrane responses to mechanical forces.