In three papers in the January and February issues of the Journal of General Physiology (JGP), Don Hilgemann and colleagues have extensively characterized a previously unidentified process by which up to 75% of the cell plasma membrane can be reversibly endocytosed. This massive endocytosis (“MEND”) can be elicited in a variety of cell types with a range of different experimental manipulations, including internal calcium transients in the presence of ATP, membrane treatment with sphingomyelinase, and introduction of various amphiphiles into the membrane bilayer. MEND does not employ the canonical endocytic mechanisms involving clathrin, the actin cytoskeleton or dynamins. MEND preferentially causes endocytosis of the low-ordered, cholesterol-containing membrane fraction. The mechanisms underlying MEND likely include the merger of nanoscopic low-ordered domains into larger domains with attendant changes in lipid line tension. Application of MEND promises to serve as a valuable tool in determining which membrane proteins are associated with low- or high-ordered membrane fractions.
About The Journal of General Physiology
Founded in 1918, The Journal of General Physiology (JGP) is published by The Rockefeller University Press. All editorial decisions on manuscripts submitted are made by active scientists. JGP content is posted to PubMed Central, where it is available to the public for free six months after publication. Authors retain copyright of their published works and third parties may reuse the content for non-commercial purposes under a creative commons license. For more information, please visit www.jgp.org.
Fine, M., et al. 2011. J. Gen. Physiol. doi:10.1085/jgp.201010469
Hilgemann, D.W., and M. Fine. 2011 J. Gen. Physiol. doi:10.1085/jgp.201010470
Lariccia, V., et al. 2011. J. Gen. Physiol. doi:10.1085/jgp.201010468
ScienceBlog.com has no paywalls, no sponsored content, and no agenda beyond getting the science right. Every story here is written to inform, not to impress an advertiser or push a point of view.
Good science journalism takes time — reading the papers, checking the claims, finding researchers who can put findings in context. We do that work because we think it matters.
If you find this site useful, consider supporting it with a donation. Even a few dollars a month helps keep the coverage independent and free for everyone.