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Cholesterol domains regulate the actin cytoskeleton at the leading edge of moving cells

2004; Elsevier BV; Volume: 14; Issue: 6 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1016/j.tcb.2004.04.008

1879-3088

Santos Mañes, Carlos Martı́nez-A,

Caveolin-1 and cellular processes

The plasma membrane must be rigid to form a barrier between the cell interior and the extracellular milieu, while remaining sufficiently flexible to enable rapid changes in cell shape. The concept of the plasma membrane as a mosaic of microdomains can help to understand this combination of properties. A recent report shows that the polarization of cholesterol-enriched domains changes the viscoelastic properties of the membrane at the front of moving cells, permitting efficient formation of the actin network required to push the leading-edge membrane forward.