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Updated: Jul 6, 2025

Reconstituting and Characterizing Actin-Microtubule Composites with Tunable Motor-Driven Dynamics and Mechanics
Published on: August 25, 2022
Spatial and Temporal Coordination of Force-generating Actin-based Modules Drives Membrane Remodeling In Vivo
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Membrane remodeling drives a broad spectrum of cellular functions, and it is regulated through mechanical forces exerted on the membrane by cytoplasmic complexes. Here, we investigate how actin filaments dynamically tune their structure to control the active transfer of membranes between cellular compartments with distinct compositions and biophysical properties. Using intravital subcellular microscopy in live rodents we show that: a lattice composed of linear filaments stabilizes the granule membrane after fusion with the plasma membrane; and a network of branched filaments linked to the membranes by Ezrin, a regulator of membrane tension, initiates and drives to completion the integration step. Our results highlight how the actin cytoskeleton tunes its structure to adapt to dynamic changes in the biophysical properties of membranes.
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