This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies. Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Our cells' membranes have many functions. They not only provide mechanical protection but also precisely control which substances enter or leave cells.
If they fail to perform these tasks, disease can result. Their structure is correspondingly complex: The outer cell membrane, for example, often features bottle-shaped invaginations called caveolae. Among other functions, they protect blood vessel cells, which are frequently exposed to strong mechanical forces.
In addition, caveolae serve as signaling centers that help regulate blood pressure. Cells also absorb nutrients—especially fatty acids—via caveolae. Researchers at the Max Delbrück Center have now discovered how caveolae—which are found in nearly all cells in the body—are stabilized at the outer cell membrane.
"A chain of protein molecules wraps around the neck of these bottle-shaped structures to support them," explains Dr. Oliver Daumke, group leader of the Structural Biology of Membrane-Associated Processes lab. Misha Kudryashev, group leader of the In Situ Structural Biology lab, they have now elucidated the structure of this protein chain.
Daumke had previously shown that without the protein EHD2—of which the chain is composed—caveolae are not securely anchored in the cell membrane. The authors hope the new study could help, for example, regulate fat uptake by cells and thus lead to better treatment of lipid metabolism disorders. The work is published in Nature Communications.
Most of the experiments were conducted by first author Dr. Elena Vázquez-Sarandeses, a former doctoral student in Daumke's lab, and Dr. Vasilii Mikirtumov, a former doctoral student in Kudryashev's lab.
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