Bleb (cell biology).html |
| | | ca | | | de | | | en | | | es | | | fr | | | it | | | nl | | | no | | | pl | | | pt | | | ru | | | ro | | | fi | | | sv | | | tr | | | vo | | |
| |  |
 |
This article or section is in need of attention from an expert on the subject. WikiProject Molecular and Cellular Biology or the Molecular and Cellular Biology Portal may be able to help recruit one. If a more appropriate WikiProject or portal exists, please adjust this template accordingly. (November 2008) |
 |
This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding reliable references. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (April 2008) |
In cell biology, a bleb is an irregular bulge in the plasma membrane of a cell caused by localized decoupling of the cytoskeleton from the plasma membrane (recently reviewed in 1). Blebbing is the term used to describe the formation of blebs.
Contents |
Physiological Functions
During apoptosis (programmed cell death), the cell's cytoskeleton breaks up and causes the membrane to bulge outward (reviewed in 2). These bulges may separate from the cell, taking a portion of cytoplasm with them, to become known as apoptotic bodies. Phagocytic cells eventually consume these fragments and the components are recycled (see figure).
Blebbing also has important functions in other cellular processes, including cell locomotion, cell division, and physical or chemical stresses. The types of blebs vary greatly, including variations in bleb growth rates, size, contents, and actin content.
Pharmacology
A chemical known as blebbistatin (Sigma Aldrich) was recently shown to inhibit the formation of blebs. This agent was discovered in a screen for small molecule inhibitors of nonmuscle myosin IIA and was shown to lower the affinity of myosin with actin 34, thus altering the contractile forces that impinge on the cytoskeleton-membrane interface.
Notes
- ^ Fackler OT, Grosse R (Jun 2008). "Cell motility through plasma membrane blebbing". J Cell Biol. 181 (6): 879–84. doi:. PMID 18541702.
- ^ Vermeulen K, Van Bockstaele DR, Berneman ZN (Oct 2005). "Apoptosis: mechanisms and relevance in cancer". Ann Hematol. 84 (10): 627–39. doi:. PMID 16041532.
- ^ Kovács M, Tóth J, Hetényi C, Málnási-Csizmadia A, Sellers JR (Aug 2004). "Mechanism of blebbistatin inhibition of myosin II". J Biol Chem. 279 (34): 35557–63. doi:. PMID 15205456, http://www.jbc.org/cgi/content/abstract/279/34/35557.
- ^ Limouze J, Straight AF, Mitchison T, Sellers JR (2004). "Specificity of blebbistatin, an inhibitor of myosin II". J Muscle Res Cell Motil. 25 (4-5): 337–41. doi:. PMID 15548862.
References
- (−)-Blebbistatin - Sigma-Aldrich
- Charras GT, Coughlin M, Mitchison TJ, Mahadevan L (Mar 2008). "Life and times of a cellular bleb". Biophys J. 94 (5): 1836–53. doi:. PMID 17921219.
- Charras GT, Hu CK, Coughlin M, Mitchison TJ (Nov 2006). "Reassembly of contractile actin cortex in cell blebs". J. Cell Biol. 175 (3): 477–90. doi:. PMID 17088428.
- Dai J, Sheetz MP (Dec 1999). "Membrane tether formation from blebbing cells". Biophys. J. 77 (6): 3363–70. PMID 10585959. PMC: 1300608, http://www.biophysj.org/cgi/pmidlookup?view=long&pmid=10585959.
- Drug Stops Motor Protein, Shines Light on Cell Division - FOCUS March 21, 2003. Retrieved April 8, 2008.
- Hagmann J, Burger MM, Dagan D (Jun 1999). "Regulation of plasma membrane blebbing by the cytoskeleton". J. Cell. Biochem. 73 (4): 488–99. doi:. PMID 10733343.
 |
This cell biology article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |