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Cell Motility through Blebbing

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Blebs are a type of membrane protrusion formed by the internal hydrostatic pressure of the cytoplasm. Blebs are observed in several cell types, including fibroblasts, immune cells, and single-celled organisms like the amoeba. The primary function of blebs is cell locomotion and apoptosis, but they are also found during necrosis and cell division. The life cycle of a bleb comprises an initiation phase followed by the expansion and retraction phases.
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Updated: Feb 25, 2026

An Alternative and Validated Injection Method for Accessing the Subretinal Space via a Transcleral Posterior Approach

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Published on: December 7, 2016

Image based modeling of bleb site selection.

Sharon Collier¹, Peggy Paschke², Robert R Kay²

¹MOAC Doctoral Training Centre, University of Warwick, Coventry, CV4 7AL, UK.

Scientific Reports

|July 29, 2017

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Cell geometry alone can predict where pressure-driven blebs form during cell migration. Adding a gradient in membrane-cortex adhesion improves predictions for more complex cell shapes and movement, highlighting physical forces in cell motility.

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Area of Science:

Cell Biology
Biophysics
Mechanobiology

Background:

Cells utilize rapid, pressure-driven blebs for movement and overcoming mechanical resistance.
The precise mechanisms governing bleb site selection and directionality to the cell front are not fully understood.
Previous research indicated Dictyostelium cells preferentially bleb from concave regions due to membrane tension facilitating detachment.

Purpose of the Study:

To develop a predictive model for bleb formation sites based on cell geometry.
To investigate the role of physical forces, specifically membrane tension and adhesion, in directing bleb formation.
To determine if cell geometry alone is sufficient to predict bleb locations.

Main Methods:

A novel computational modeling approach was employed, utilizing actual cell contours.
The model predicted bleb formation based on geometric parameters and physical forces.
Experimental validation involved observing bleb formation in migrating Dictyostelium cells.

Main Results:

Cell geometry alone successfully predicted bleb formation sites in rounded cells under high resistance.
The model's accuracy decreased with more polarized cells and lower resistance.
Incorporating a front-to-back gradient in membrane-cortex adhesion significantly improved model performance.
Talin, a protein linking membrane and cortex, was observed to form such a gradient.

Conclusions:

Physical forces, dictated by cell geometry, can be a primary determinant of bleb formation sites in certain cellular contexts.
A gradient in membrane-cortex adhesion, exemplified by Talin distribution, is crucial for accurate bleb site prediction in more complex migration scenarios.
The developed model offers a method to differentiate the contributions of physical forces versus other regulatory mechanisms in bleb formation.