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Immune Cell Membrane Protrusions as Sensory Organelles
Tamara Zünd1, Viola Vogel1, Enrico Klotzsch2,3,4,1
1Laboratory of Applied Mechanobiology, Department for Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland.
Annual Review of Cell and Developmental Biology
|August 11, 2025
Summary
Immune cells use surface protrusions like microvilli and filopodia to sense and respond to their environment. This review explores their structures, mechanics, and roles across immune cell types.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Cell Biology
- Biophysics
Background:
- Immune cells utilize diverse surface protrusions, including microvilli, podosomes, filopodia, and lamellipodia.
- These structures are crucial for immune cell interaction, environmental sensing, and force generation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review recent advancements in understanding immune cell protrusions.
- To discuss the molecular mechanisms of mechanosensing and the varied roles of protrusions in different immune cells.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of recent research on immune cell protrusions.
- Analysis of studies employing cutting-edge imaging and biophysical techniques.
Main Results:
- Detailed insights into the structure and dynamics of various immune cell protrusions.
- Elucidation of the molecular machinery governing mechanosensing.
- Understanding of how different immune cell subsets differentially employ these structures.
Conclusions:
- Immune cell protrusions are critical for integrating environmental cues through sophisticated molecular and physical mechanisms.
- Technological innovations are rapidly expanding our knowledge of these dynamic cellular structures.
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