Li Manqing, Xing Xiumei, Yuan Jianhui, Zeng Zhuoying
School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 5180080, China.
Nanshan District Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Shenzhen, 518054, China.
Heliyon. 2024 Apr 26;10(9):e29923. doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e29923. eCollection 2024 May 15.
Cell membrane surface tension has emerged as a pivotal biophysical factor governing cell behavior and fate. This review systematically delineates recent advances in techniques for cell membrane surface tension quantification, mechanosensing mechanisms, and regulatory roles of cell membrane surface tension in modulating major cellular processes. Micropipette aspiration, tether pulling, and newly developed fluorescent probes enable the measurement of cell membrane surface tension with spatiotemporal precision. Cells perceive cell membrane surface tension via conduits including mechanosensitive ion channels, curvature-sensing proteins (e.g. BAR domain proteins), and cortex-membrane attachment proteins (e.g. ERM proteins). Through membrane receptors like integrins, cells convert mechanical cues into biochemical signals. This conversion triggers cytoskeletal remodeling and extracellular matrix interactions in response to environmental changes. Elevated cell membrane surface tension suppresses cell spreading, migration, and endocytosis while facilitating exocytosis. Moreover, reduced cell membrane surface tension promotes embryonic stem cell differentiation and cancer cell invasion, underscoring cell membrane surface tension as a regulator of cell plasticity. Outstanding questions remain regarding cell membrane surface tension regulatory mechanisms and roles in tissue development/disease in vivo. Emerging tools to manipulate cell membrane surface tension with high spatiotemporal control in combination with omics approaches will facilitate the elucidation of cell membrane surface tension-mediated effects on signaling networks across various cell types/states. This will accelerate the development of cell membrane surface tension-based biomarkers and therapeutics for regenerative medicine and cancer. Overall, this review provides critical insights into cell membrane surface tension as a potent orchestrator of cell function, with broader impacts across mechanobiology.
细胞膜表面张力已成为控制细胞行为和命运的关键生物物理因素。本文综述系统地阐述了细胞膜表面张力定量技术、机械传感机制以及细胞膜表面张力在调节主要细胞过程中的调控作用的最新进展。微吸管抽吸、系链牵拉和新开发的荧光探针能够实现对细胞膜表面张力的时空精确测量。细胞通过包括机械敏感离子通道、曲率传感蛋白（如BAR结构域蛋白）和皮质-膜附着蛋白（如ERM蛋白）等途径感知细胞膜表面张力。细胞通过整合素等膜受体将机械信号转化为生化信号。这种转化会引发细胞骨架重塑和细胞外基质相互作用以响应环境变化。升高的细胞膜表面张力会抑制细胞铺展、迁移和内吞作用，同时促进胞吐作用。此外，降低的细胞膜表面张力会促进胚胎干细胞分化和癌细胞侵袭，突显了细胞膜表面张力作为细胞可塑性的调节因子的作用。关于细胞膜表面张力在体内组织发育/疾病中的调控机制和作用仍存在突出问题。结合组学方法，以高时空控制操纵细胞膜表面张力的新兴工具将有助于阐明细胞膜表面张力对各种细胞类型/状态信号网络的介导作用。这将加速基于细胞膜表面张力的生物标志物的开发以及用于再生医学和癌症的治疗方法。总体而言，本文综述为细胞膜表面张力作为细胞功能的有力协调者提供了关键见解，对力学生物学具有更广泛的影响。
