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

2.7K
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...
2.7K
Mechanisms of Membrane Domain Formation00:59

Mechanisms of Membrane Domain Formation

3.0K
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...
3.0K
Cytoskeletal Coordination in Cell Migration01:32

Cytoskeletal Coordination in Cell Migration

4.7K
A migrating cell changes its shape during the cyclic events of attachment and detachment from the substratum and repositions the cell organelles correspondingly. These complex events are orchestrated by the dynamic cytoskeletal network comprising actin filaments, intermediate filaments, and microtubules. Cytoskeletal crosstalk — the direct and indirect communication between the different components — is crucial for this coordination. Direct communication involves various linker...
4.7K
Fluid Mosaic Model01:19

Fluid Mosaic Model

11.6K
Scientists identified the plasma membrane in the 1890s and its principal chemical components (lipids and proteins) by 1915. The model for plasma membrane structure, proposed in 1935 by Hugh Davson and James Danielli, was the first model to be widely accepted in the scientific community. The model was based on the plasma membrane's "railroad track" appearance in early electron micrographs. Davson and Danielli theorized that the plasma membrane's structure resembled a sandwich...
11.6K
Mechanism of Lamellipodia Formation01:31

Mechanism of Lamellipodia Formation

2.5K
Cells migrating in response to external stimuli form lamellipodia, which are thin membrane protrusions supported by a mesh of linked, branched, or unbranched actin filaments. These actin filaments interact with myosin motor proteins, creating the dynamic actomyosin complex within the cytoskeleton. Contractility, or the ability to generate contractile stress, is inherent to the actomyosin complex. It helps cells detect the stiffness of the surrounding ECM and exert contractile force for...
2.5K
Cell-matrix's Response to Mechanical Forces01:13

Cell-matrix's Response to Mechanical Forces

2.6K
In animal cells, the extracellular matrix allows cells within tissues to withstand external stresses and transmits signals from the outside of the cell to the inside. The extracellular matrix is extensive, and its composition varies between different types of tissues. For example, the reticular fibers and ground substance make up the ECM in loose connective tissue, while collagen and bone minerals make up the ECM of bone tissue. 
Anchoring junctions mechanically attach a cell to the...
2.6K

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by
Same author

Systems modelling of mitochondrial dynamics in different exercise regimes.

The Journal of physiology·2026
Same author

A balance between nucleating and elongating actin filaments controls deformation of protein condensates.

Science advances·2026
Same author

Mitochondrial mechanics nucleates axonal jamming and swelling.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2026
Same author

Mechanisms of active wetting and fluidification in epithelial cell collectives.

Nature materials·2026
Same author

Dynamics of the formation of flat clathrin lattices in response to growth factor stimulus.

PLoS computational biology·2026
Same author

A predictive mechanochemical modeling framework for the deformation and remodeling of the nuclear lamina.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2026
Same journal

A human-specific genetic modifier reconfigures large-scale cortical network dynamics underlying behavioral performance.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2026
Same journal

<i>Staphylococcus aureus</i> uses a eukaryotic-like uridyltransferase to make UDP-GlcNAc for cell wall synthesis.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2026
Same journal

Dynamic redistribution of eIF4F controls cap-dependent translation initiation.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2026
Same journal

When does additional information improve accuracy of RNA secondary structure prediction?

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2026
Same journal

Normative brain-state trajectories reveal deviation from healthy aging in Alzheimer's disease.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2026
Same journal

Noradrenergic infraslow rhythm during sleep is the critical link between heart-rate dynamics and memory consolidation.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2026
See all related articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 26, 2025

Reconstitution of Septin Assembly at Membranes to Study Biophysical Properties and Functions
06:32

Reconstitution of Septin Assembly at Membranes to Study Biophysical Properties and Functions

Published on: July 28, 2022

2.2K

Dynamic mechanisms for membrane skeleton transitions.

M Bonilla-Quintana1, A Ghisleni2, N Gauthier2

  • 1Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of California San Diego, La Jolla CA 92093, USA.

Biorxiv : the Preprint Server for Biology
|May 15, 2024
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

The cell membrane skeleton, including spectrin and actin, actively stabilizes cell structure by interacting with membrane forces. This dynamic balance, influenced by myosin and cell attachment, is crucial for cellular mechanical resilience.

Keywords:
Spectrinactomyosincell mechanicscytoskeleton

More Related Videos

Single-Molecule Imaging of Lateral Mobility and Ion Channel Activity in Lipid Bilayers using Total Internal Reflection Fluorescence TIRF Microscopy
08:55

Single-Molecule Imaging of Lateral Mobility and Ion Channel Activity in Lipid Bilayers using Total Internal Reflection Fluorescence TIRF Microscopy

Published on: February 17, 2023

3.1K
The Mechanics of Poro-Elastic Contractile Actomyosin Networks As a Model System of the Cell Cytoskeleton
08:50

The Mechanics of Poro-Elastic Contractile Actomyosin Networks As a Model System of the Cell Cytoskeleton

Published on: March 10, 2023

769

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 26, 2025

Reconstitution of Septin Assembly at Membranes to Study Biophysical Properties and Functions
06:32

Reconstitution of Septin Assembly at Membranes to Study Biophysical Properties and Functions

Published on: July 28, 2022

2.2K
Single-Molecule Imaging of Lateral Mobility and Ion Channel Activity in Lipid Bilayers using Total Internal Reflection Fluorescence TIRF Microscopy
08:55

Single-Molecule Imaging of Lateral Mobility and Ion Channel Activity in Lipid Bilayers using Total Internal Reflection Fluorescence TIRF Microscopy

Published on: February 17, 2023

3.1K
The Mechanics of Poro-Elastic Contractile Actomyosin Networks As a Model System of the Cell Cytoskeleton
08:50

The Mechanics of Poro-Elastic Contractile Actomyosin Networks As a Model System of the Cell Cytoskeleton

Published on: March 10, 2023

769

Area of Science:

  • Cell biology
  • Biophysics
  • Computational biology

Background:

  • Eukaryotic cells possess a protective barrier formed by the plasma membrane and underlying cytoskeleton.
  • Spectrin, a key component of the membrane skeleton, interacts with lipids and actin filaments, with its conformation varying across cell types.
  • Mechanical stress induces rearrangements in the membrane skeleton, crucial for cellular protection.

Approach:

  • Developed a generalized network model integrating membrane skeleton, myosin contractility, and membrane mechanics.
  • Investigated the spectrin meshwork's response to mechanical loading using computational modeling.
  • Analyzed the interplay between membrane forces, area constraint, volume restriction, and cell attachment.

Key Points:

  • Membrane bending forces actively contribute to maintaining a smooth skeletal structure, indicating a dual role for the membrane.
  • Spectrin and myosin turnover are essential for transitioning the skeleton between stress and rest states.
  • Actin-spectrin meshwork dynamics are balanced by membrane forces, with area and volume constraints enhancing stability.

Conclusions:

  • The model provides insights into the cooperative mechanisms of the membrane skeleton, myosin, and membrane in maintaining cell stability.
  • Cell attachment to a substrate significantly enhances cell shape stabilization.
  • The findings suggest testable hypotheses for the behavior of the membrane skeleton in diverse cell types.