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

2.8K
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...
2.8K
Multi-pass Transmembrane Proteins and β-barrels01:09

Multi-pass Transmembrane Proteins and β-barrels

5.5K
In multi-pass transmembrane proteins, the polypeptide chain crosses the membrane more than once. The transmembrane polypeptide chain either forms an α-helix or β-strand structure. α-Helix containing multi-pass transmembrane proteins are ubiquitous, whereas β-strand containing ones are mainly found in gram-negative bacteria, mitochondria, and chloroplasts.
α-Helix containing multi-pass transmembrane proteins
Multi-pass transmembrane proteins such as...
5.5K
Mechanisms of Membrane Domain Formation00:59

Mechanisms of Membrane Domain Formation

3.1K
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...
3.1K
Fluid Mosaic Model01:19

Fluid Mosaic Model

12.8K
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...
12.8K
Membrane Domains01:18

Membrane Domains

5.7K
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
The membrane comprises a group of distinct proteins responsible for carrying out a cell's specific function. For example, the plasma membrane of the human sperm, or a single germ cell, contains a unique set of proteins in the...
5.7K
Single-pass Transmembrane Proteins01:25

Single-pass Transmembrane Proteins

5.3K
Integral membrane proteins are tightly associated with the cell membrane and play a crucial role in cell communication, signaling, adhesion, and transport of the molecules. Some integral membrane proteins are present only in the membrane monolayer. For example, the enzyme fatty acid amide hydrolase is present in the cytoplasmic side of the membrane monolayer. In contrast, another type of integral membrane protein, also known as a transmembrane protein, spans across the membrane. Transmembrane...
5.3K

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by
Same author

Active nuclear positioning and actomyosin contractility maintain leader cell integrity during gonadogenesis.

Current biology : CB·2024
Same author

Protocol for neuron tracing and analysis of dendritic structures from noisy microscopy images using Neuronalyzer.

STAR protocols·2024
Same author

Directed cell invasion and asymmetric adhesion drive tissue elongation and turning in C. elegans gonad morphogenesis.

Developmental cell·2022
Same author

Thy1 marks a distinct population of slow-cycling stem cells in the mouse epidermis.

Nature communications·2022
Same author

A role for endoplasmic reticulum dynamics in the cellular distribution of microtubules.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·2022
Same author

Neuron tracing and quantitative analyses of dendritic architecture reveal symmetrical three-way-junctions and phenotypes of git-1 in C. elegans.

PLoS computational biology·2021

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Sep 9, 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

2.3K

Membrane morphologies arising from multiconformational protein states.

Avihay Kadosh1, Tom Shemesh1

  • 1Faculty of Biology, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel.

Biophysical Journal
|September 3, 2025
PubMed
Summary

Cell membrane shape is influenced by proteins changing their form. This study reveals how protein flexibility drives membrane organization and shape changes, impacting cellular functions.

More Related Videos

Author Spotlight: Advancing Cell Membrane Biophysics - Exploring Interactions and Challenges Through Experimental and Computational Approaches
07:31

Author Spotlight: Advancing Cell Membrane Biophysics - Exploring Interactions and Challenges Through Experimental and Computational Approaches

Published on: September 1, 2023

2.5K
Method to Visualize and Analyze Membrane Interacting Proteins by Transmission Electron Microscopy
10:49

Method to Visualize and Analyze Membrane Interacting Proteins by Transmission Electron Microscopy

Published on: March 5, 2017

13.4K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Sep 9, 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

2.3K
Author Spotlight: Advancing Cell Membrane Biophysics - Exploring Interactions and Challenges Through Experimental and Computational Approaches
07:31

Author Spotlight: Advancing Cell Membrane Biophysics - Exploring Interactions and Challenges Through Experimental and Computational Approaches

Published on: September 1, 2023

2.5K
Method to Visualize and Analyze Membrane Interacting Proteins by Transmission Electron Microscopy
10:49

Method to Visualize and Analyze Membrane Interacting Proteins by Transmission Electron Microscopy

Published on: March 5, 2017

13.4K

Area of Science:

  • Cell biology
  • Biophysics
  • Computational modeling

Background:

  • Cellular membranes exhibit complex geometries crucial for function.
  • Curvature-stabilizing proteins are known to sculpt membrane shapes.
  • The role of protein conformational changes in membrane shaping is largely unknown.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate how membrane proteins with multiple conformations collectively shape biological membranes.
  • To explore the implications of protein conformational flexibility on membrane mechanics and organization.
  • To provide a fundamental insight into the functional organization of biological membrane systems.

Main Methods:

  • Continuum-based physical modeling.
  • Development of a curvature-based shape discretization scheme for efficient geometry representation.
  • Simulation of membranes with embedded multi-state proteins.

Main Results:

  • Conformational flexibility of membrane proteins can lead to emergent behaviors like mechanical bistability and collective organization.
  • Membranes with multi-state proteins can spontaneously adopt non-uniform shapes.
  • Shape changes are driven by spatial patterning or redistribution of protein conformational states.

Conclusions:

  • Multi-state proteins play a critical role in orchestrating large-scale membrane morphological changes.
  • Protein conformational dynamics offer a fundamental mechanism for biological membrane organization.
  • This work provides new insights into the functional adaptability of cellular membranes.