Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Mechanisms of Membrane-bending01:15

Mechanisms of Membrane-bending

2.6K
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.
Membrane bending can happen due to intrinsic changes in lipid composition or extrinsic association with different proteins. The proteins involved...
2.6K
Tail-anchoring of Proteins in the ER Membrane01:45

Tail-anchoring of Proteins in the ER Membrane

2.8K
Tail-anchored, or TA, proteins are estimated to make up to 3-5% of membrane proteins found in the eukaryotic cell. Such proteins have a single transmembrane domain located approximately 30 amino acid residues upstream from the C-terminal end. As a result, the signal recognition particle (SRP) cannot guide a TA protein to the ER membrane for cotranslational insertion. Hence, they are integrated into the ER membrane post-translationally using their C-terminal end as the anchor. TA proteins...
2.8K
Mechanisms of Membrane Domain Formation00:59

Mechanisms of Membrane Domain Formation

3.2K
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.
Another mechanism for membrane domain formation involves membrane proteins interacting with...
3.2K
The Significance of Membrane Transport01:44

The Significance of Membrane Transport

24.5K
The transport of solutes across the cell membrane is essential for metabolic processes, like maintaining cell size and volume, generating the action potential, exchanging nutrients and gases, etc. Membrane transport can be either passive or active. It can be simple diffusion, facilitated, or mediated transport aided by transport proteins such as transporters and channels.
Transporters facilitate either an active or passive movement of solutes. They can allow a single-molecule transport down its...
24.5K
Membrane Fluidity01:26

Membrane Fluidity

14.1K
Membrane fluidity is explained by the fluid mosaic model of the cell membrane, which describes the plasma membrane structure as a mosaic of components—including phospholipids, cholesterol, proteins, and carbohydrates—that gives the membrane a fluid character.
Mosaic nature of the membrane
The mosaic characteristic of the membrane helps the plasma membrane remain fluid. The integral proteins and lipids exist as separate but loosely-attached molecules in the membrane. The membrane is...
14.1K
Membrane Fluidity01:23

Membrane Fluidity

150.4K
Cell membranes are composed of phospholipids, proteins, and carbohydrates loosely attached to one another through chemical interactions. Molecules are generally able to move about in the plane of the membrane, giving the membrane its flexible nature called fluidity. Two other features of the membrane contribute to membrane fluidity: the chemical structure of the phospholipids and the presence of cholesterol in the membrane.
150.4K

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Genetic variants in combination with early partial improvement as a clinical utility predictor of treatment outcome in major depressive disorder: the result of two pooled RCTs.

Translational psychiatry·2015
Same author

Topological phase transitions driven by magnetic phase transitions in Fe(x)Bi2Te3 (0≤x≤0.1) single crystals.

Physical review letters·2013
Same author

Pharmacokinetics, safety, and tolerability of atomoxetine and effect of CYP2D6*10/*10 genotype in healthy Japanese men.

Journal of clinical pharmacology·2011
Same author

Microwave-assisted autohydrolysis of Prunus mume stone for extraction of polysaccharides and phenolic compounds.

Journal of food science·2010
Same author

Long-term safety and efficacy of tocilizumab, an anti-IL-6 receptor monoclonal antibody, in monotherapy, in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (the STREAM study): evidence of safety and efficacy in a 5-year extension study.

Annals of the rheumatic diseases·2008
Same author

Pharmacokinetics/genotype associations for major cytochrome P450 enzymes in native and first- and third-generation Japanese populations: comparison with Korean, Chinese, and Caucasian populations.

Clinical pharmacology and therapeutics·2008
Same journal

Author Correction: Novel octapeptide containing the RGD sequence as a potential anti-SARS-CoV-2 agent: design, synthesis, and theoretical studies.

Amino acids·2026
Same journal

Polyamines in CNS malignancies: positively charged culprits in the hijacking of neural and immune signaling pathways.

Amino acids·2026
Same journal

The effects of glutamine supplementation on inflammatory and oxidative stress indices in chronic diseases: a systematic review.

Amino acids·2026
Same journal

Reprogramming parasitic signatures into anticancer peptide candidates: in silico discovery of Leishmania major-derived peptides.

Amino acids·2026
Same journal

Effects of taurine on skeletal muscle in senescence-accelerated mice and C2C12 myoblasts and myotubes.

Amino acids·2026
Same journal

Dual functions of thermospermine in plant growth and stress responses.

Amino acids·2026
See all related articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 6, 2026

Reconstitution of Msp1 Extraction Activity with Fully Purified Components
05:52

Reconstitution of Msp1 Extraction Activity with Fully Purified Components

Published on: August 10, 2021

2.1K

Mechanisms underlying taurine-mediated alterations in membrane function.

S W Schaffer1, J Azuma, J D Madura

  • 1Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of South Alabama, 36688, Mobile, Alabama, USA.

Amino Acids
|November 5, 2013
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Taurine has multiple effects on cell membranes, but current theories don't fully explain them. Research suggests potential roles in reducing oxidative damage, altering protein phosphorylation, interacting with phospholipids, and inhibiting N-methylation.

More Related Videos

Modulation of Tau Subcellular Localization as a Tool to Investigate the Expression of Disease-related Genes
09:12

Modulation of Tau Subcellular Localization as a Tool to Investigate the Expression of Disease-related Genes

Published on: December 20, 2019

5.7K
Interactions with and Membrane Permeabilization of Brain Mitochondria by Amyloid Fibrils
15:04

Interactions with and Membrane Permeabilization of Brain Mitochondria by Amyloid Fibrils

Published on: September 28, 2019

5.3K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 6, 2026

Reconstitution of Msp1 Extraction Activity with Fully Purified Components
05:52

Reconstitution of Msp1 Extraction Activity with Fully Purified Components

Published on: August 10, 2021

2.1K
Modulation of Tau Subcellular Localization as a Tool to Investigate the Expression of Disease-related Genes
09:12

Modulation of Tau Subcellular Localization as a Tool to Investigate the Expression of Disease-related Genes

Published on: December 20, 2019

5.7K
Interactions with and Membrane Permeabilization of Brain Mitochondria by Amyloid Fibrils
15:04

Interactions with and Membrane Permeabilization of Brain Mitochondria by Amyloid Fibrils

Published on: September 28, 2019

5.3K

Area of Science:

  • Biochemistry
  • Cell Biology
  • Neuroscience

Background:

  • Taurine is an amino acid with significant roles in excitable tissues.
  • Multiple hypotheses exist to explain taurine's diverse membrane-associated effects.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review and evaluate the proposed hypotheses for taurine's membrane-linked actions.
  • To identify gaps in current understanding and suggest future research directions.

Main Methods:

  • Review of existing scientific literature on taurine's cellular mechanisms.
  • Analysis of four prominent hypotheses regarding taurine's effects on cell membranes.

Main Results:

  • Taurine exhibits cytoprotective effects against oxidants, potentially by reducing membrane injury.
  • Taurine may influence calcium transport via protein phosphorylation.
  • Interactions with phospholipids and inhibition of N-methylation are proposed mechanisms for taurine's actions.

Conclusions:

  • No single hypothesis fully accounts for all observed membrane actions of taurine.
  • Further research is necessary to elucidate the precise mechanisms and relative importance of each proposed theory.