Human Endothelial Membrane as a Structural Prototype: A Comparative Analysis with Artemia salina Endothelial-like...

Cell membranes exhibit specific structural and chirality properties influencing their biological behavior and functionality. Artemia salina endothelial-like cell membranes, structurally simpler, provide insights into fundamental cellular structures, whereas human endothelial cell membranes represent complex, specialized tissues essential for understanding advanced vascular functions. This study aims to compare the structural and chiral properties of Artemia salina endothelial-like cell membranes and human endothelial cell membranes through computational molecular-level modeling, evaluating potential histological and biological implications. Membrane models for Artemia salina and human endothelial cells were developed using Protein Data Bank (PDB) structures. Computational descriptors, including radius of gyration (Rg), solvent-accessible surface area (SASA), geometric asymmetry index (GAI), chiral moment (CM), fractal dimension (FD), and additional chirality indices (SOC, HCI, ACI, CAI, ME, RDF) were calculated to assess membrane complexity, structural asymmetry, and chirality. Significant structural divergences between Artemia salina and human endothelial membranes were identified. Artemia membranes exhibited lower values of Rg, SASA, and chirality metrics, indicating simpler, more symmetrical structures. In contrast, human endothelial membranes displayed elevated structural complexity, pronounced asymmetry, higher chirality indices, and more significant structural heterogeneity, consistent with their specialized physiological functions. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) further highlighted clear structural clustering distinctions between the two models. The comparative analysis underscores fundamental structural and functional divergences between Artemia salina and human endothelial cell membranes. Artemia membranes represent simplified, uniform cellular arrangements optimized for fundamental physiological roles, while human endothelial membranes exhibit complex architectures, structural specialization, and significant chirality essential for dynamic vascular functionalities. These computational descriptors offer potential diagnostic biomarkers for evaluating endothelial functionality and pathological states.