Membrane tension maintains cell polarity by confining signals to the leading edge during neutrophil migration.

ABSTRACT: Little is known about how neutrophils and other cells establish a single zone of actin assembly during migration. A widespread assumption is that the leading edge prevents formation of additional fronts by generating long-range diffusible inhibitors or by sequestering essential polarity components. We use morphological perturbations, cell-severing experiments, and computational simulations to show that diffusion-based mechanisms are not sufficient for long-range inhibition by the pseudopod. Instead, plasma membrane tension could serve as a long-range inhibitor in neutrophils. We find that membrane tension doubles during leading-edge protrusion, and increasing tension is sufficient for long-range inhibition of actin assembly and Rac activation. Furthermore, reducing membrane tension causes

SUBMITTER: Houk AR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3308728 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature