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Dynamics of membrane tethers reveal novel aspects of cytoskeleton-membrane interactions in axons.

ABSTRACT: Mechanical properties of cell membranes are known to be significantly influenced by the underlying cortical cytoskeleton. The technique of pulling membrane tethers from cells is one of the most effective ways of studying the membrane mechanics and the membrane-cortex interaction. In this article, we show that axon membranes make an interesting system to explore as they exhibit both free membrane-like behavior where the tether-membrane junction is movable on the surface of the axons (unlike many other cell membranes) as well as cell-like behavior where there are transient and spontaneous eruptions in the tether force that vanish when F-actin is depolymerized. We analyze the passive and spontaneous responses of axonal membrane tethers and propose theoretical models to explain the observed behavior.

SUBMITTER: Datar A

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4317544 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Dynamics of membrane tethers reveal novel aspects of cytoskeleton-membrane interactions in axons.

Datar Anagha A Bornschlögl Thomas T Bassereau Patricia P Prost Jacques J Pullarkat Pramod A PA

Biophysical journal 20150201 3

Mechanical properties of cell membranes are known to be significantly influenced by the underlying cortical cytoskeleton. The technique of pulling membrane tethers from cells is one of the most effective ways of studying the membrane mechanics and the membrane-cortex interaction. In this article, we show that axon membranes make an interesting system to explore as they exhibit both free membrane-like behavior where the tether-membrane junction is movable on the surface of the axons (unlike many ...[more]

PMID: 25650917

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Dynamics of membrane tethers reveal novel aspects of cytoskeleton-membrane interactions in axons.

Publications

Dynamics of membrane tethers reveal novel aspects of cytoskeleton-membrane interactions in axons.

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