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Related Concept Videos

Fluid Mosaic Model01:19

Fluid Mosaic Model

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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...
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Membrane Fluidity01:26

Membrane Fluidity

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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...
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Mechanisms of Membrane-bending01:15

Mechanisms of Membrane-bending

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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.
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Asymmetric Lipid Bilayer01:35

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Biological membranes show uneven distribution of different types of lipids in the inner and outer layers, resulting in transverse asymmetric membranes. The treatment of the erythrocyte membrane with the enzyme phospholipase confirmed the asymmetric nature of the lipid bilayer. The enzyme hydrolyzes lipids into fatty acids and hydrophilic groups. The phospholipase acts only on the outer layer of the membrane, while the inner layer remains intact. The phospholipase treatment resulted in 80%...
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Membrane Domains01:18

Membrane Domains

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The membrane domains concentrate specific lipids and proteins at one place within the membrane, which helps in cell signaling, adhesion, and other critical cellular processes. These domains can differ in size, composition, function, and lifespan.
Protein Domains
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The Fluid Mosaic Model01:34

The Fluid Mosaic Model

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The fluid mosaic model was first proposed as a visual representation of research observations. The model comprises the composition and dynamics of membranes and serves as a foundation for future membrane-related studies. The model depicts the structure of the plasma membrane with a variety of components, which include phospholipids, proteins, and carbohydrates. These integral molecules are loosely bound, defining the cell’s border and providing fluidity for optimal function.
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Updated: Jun 23, 2025

Morphology-Based Distinction Between Healthy and Pathological Cells Utilizing Fourier Transforms and Self-Organizing Maps
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Characterizing Cellular Physiological States with Three-Dimensional Shape Descriptors for Cell Membranes.

Guoye Guan1, Yixuan Chen2, Hongli Wang1,2

  • 1Center for Quantitative Biology, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China.

Membranes
|June 26, 2024
PubMed
Summary

Cell shape descriptors can reveal physiological states, aiding in understanding development and diagnosing diseases like cancer. These geometric measures accurately characterize cell division, migration, lineage, and fate.

Keywords:
3D shape descriptorCaenorhabditis eleganscell division (cytokinesis)cell fatecell lineagecell membranecell migrationembryogenesisfluorescence imaginggene expression

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Area of Science:

  • Cell Biology
  • Developmental Biology
  • Biophysics

Background:

  • Cell shape is linked to physiological state and function, evident in cancerous and neuron cells.
  • Existing knowledge lacks clear descriptors to link cell shape to specific physiological states.
  • Geometric analysis of cell morphology offers potential for quantitative physiological state assessment.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate whether geometric cell shape descriptors can characterize diverse cellular physiological states.
  • To identify specific shape descriptors that correlate with key cellular processes.
  • To establish a framework for using cell shape to predict cellular behavior and conditions.

Main Methods:

  • Collected 12 geometric shape descriptors for 3D objects from existing literature.
  • Applied these descriptors to a large dataset (~400,000) of 3D cell regions from Caenorhabditis elegans embryos.
  • Utilized fluorescently labeled cell membranes for accurate segmentation and analysis.

Main Results:

  • Demonstrated that shape descriptors accurately characterize physiological states like cell division (cytokinesis) and migration.
  • Found a negative correlation between cell migration speed and cell sphericity.
  • Observed distinct cell shape patterns associated with cell lineage and fate specification, linked to gene expression.

Conclusions:

  • Established geometric shape descriptors can reliably characterize diverse cellular physiological states.
  • These descriptors offer potential for studying developmental morphogenesis and diagnosing diseases through rapid detection of abnormal cell shapes.
  • The findings provide a quantitative tool for understanding cell behavior and predicting cellular conditions.