Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 10, 2026
12:55
Strategies for Tracking Anastasis, A Cell Survival Phenomenon that Reverses Apoptosis
Published on: February 16, 2015
18.5K
A role for the Stentor syntaxin protein in post-wound cell survival
Ambika V Nadkarni1,2, Ulises Diaz2, Kevin S Zhang1
1Department of Mechanical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA.
Biorxiv : the Preprint Server for Biology
|November 24, 2025
Summary
Single-celled organisms like Stentor require rapid wound repair. A syntaxin gene is crucial for cell survival after injury, as its absence impairs membrane repair and osmotic balance.
Area of Science:
- Cell Biology
- Genetics
- Biophysics
Background:
- Wound healing is vital for single-celled organisms, particularly ciliates like Stentor coeruleus, to repair plasma membrane breaches.
- Rapid repair is critical for survival, as delays can be lethal.
Purpose of the Study:
- To discover novel molecular pathways involved in wound healing in Stentor.
- To investigate the role of specific genes in cellular repair mechanisms.
Main Methods:
- Targeted RNA interference (RNAi)-based genetic screen.
- Microsurgical wounding using a microfluidic guillotine for reproducible bisection.
- Analysis of cell survival rates and cellular defects post-wounding.
Main Results:
- A Stentor syntaxin gene was identified as essential for post-wounding cell survival (~37% survival in deficient cells vs. ~98% in controls).
- Syntaxin-deficient cells exhibited increased susceptibility to hyposmotic shock and vacuolar defects.
- Osmotic stabilization partially rescued survival in syntaxin-deficient cells.
Conclusions:
- Syntaxin is critical for membrane fusion machinery, essential for repairing plasma membrane wounds.
- Syntaxin deficiency leads to vacuolar defects and impaired osmotic homeostasis, crucial for survival after injury.
- This study establishes a model for discovering wound healing mechanisms in new biological systems.
Related Concept Videos
01:17Intracellular Signaling Affects Focal Adhesions
3.4K
Integrins act both as extracellular input receivers and as intracellular processing activators. As their name suggests, integrins are entirely integrated into the membrane structure. Their hydrophobic membrane-spanning regions interact with the phospholipid bilayer's hydrophobic region. These membrane receptors provide extracellular attachment sites for effectors like hormones and growth factors. They activate intracellular response cascades when their effectors are bound and active.
Some...
Some...
3.4K
01:26Stem Cell Niche
6.2K
The stem cell niche is the dynamic microenvironment where stem cells reside. Inside these niches, the cells may remain undifferentiated, undergo high self-renewal, or become lineage-specific progenitors. Stem cells coexist with other niche cells, such as stromal cells. They also interact closely with the ECM. Cell-cell and cell-matrix communication occur via adhesion molecules or soluble factors that signal the stem cells and determine their fate. Stromal cells also provide survival signals to...
6.2K
01:12Role Of Notch Signalling In Intestinal Stem Cell Renewal
2.4K
Notch signaling was first discovered in Drosophila melanogaster, where it is involved in cell lineage differentiation. Notch signaling regulates the maintenance and differentiation of intestinal stem cells or ISCs by controlling the expression of atonal homolog 1 or Atoh1. Atoh1 directs cells to differentiate into secretory cells.
Direct cell-to-cell contact is needed for the activation of Notch signaling. The signal is initiated when a notch ligand binds to a receptor on an adjacent cell, also...
Direct cell-to-cell contact is needed for the activation of Notch signaling. The signal is initiated when a notch ligand binds to a receptor on an adjacent cell, also...
2.4K
01:15Neurogenesis and Regeneration of Nervous Tissue
1.5K
In the CNS, neurogenesis, the birth of new neurons from stem cells, is limited to the hippocampus in adults. In other regions of the brain and spinal cord, neurogenesis is almost non-existent due to inhibitory influences from neuroglia, especially oligodendrocytes, and the absence of growth-stimulating cues. The myelin produced by oligodendrocytes in the CNS inhibits neuronal regeneration. Furthermore, astrocytes proliferate rapidly after neuronal damage, forming scar tissue that physically...
1.5K
01:45Destabilization of Microtubules
3.4K
The destabilization of microtubules can occur during different stages of the microtubule lifecycle, such as nucleation or elongation. It can take place at either end of the microtubule or in the microtubule lattices as a whole. The lifespan of individual microtubules within a cell varies according to the cell type and stage of the cell cycle. During interphase, the lifespan of the microtubule is about 30 minutes, while during cell division, it is about 15 minutes. In axonal microtubules of...
3.4K