Membrane alterations in health and disease with particular reference to immune function and cancer

Ever since the early microscopists and experimental biologists distinguished the fundamental differences between the animal and plant cells, investigations on the structure and function of the cell membrane have become a fascinating field of biomedical research. The membranes of all types of cells provide the biological border, and maintain the integrity of the cell by protecting it from toxic insult rendered by chemicals, biochemicals, toxins etc. The toxic damage of the cell membrane results in an alteration of the transport mechanism or transmits a message for altered DNA, RNA and protein synthesis, vis-a-vis altered cell division which ultimately leads to death of the cell. In fact, the ligand receptor binding, with particular reference to toxicants of different kinds, may alter the normal physiological function of the cell. If the damaged cell is involved in immune function, the host becomes more susceptible to infection. Prolonged immunosuppression may predispose the host to develop cancer, although cancer cells themselves originate as a result of genetic damage caused by environmental toxicants, endocytosed after binding with membrane receptors, finally reaching the genomic material to cause carcinogenic alteration. The phenomena of membrane binding, transmission of message, processing of message and eventual alteration of biomolecular structure consequently resulting in a disorder or disease process are described in the present communication.