Role of Caveolae in Membrane Tension

<p>Caveolae, the characteristic plasma membrane invaginations present in<br>many cells, have been associated with numerous functions that still remain<br>debated. Taking into account the particular abundance of caveolae in cells<br>experiencing mechanical stress, it was proposed that caveolae constitute a<br>membrane reservoir and buer the membrane tension upon mechanical stress.<br>The present work aimed to check this proposition experimentally. First, the<br>inuence of caveolae on the membrane tension was studied on mouse lung<br>endothelial cells in resting conditions using tether extraction with optically<br>trapped beads. Second, experiments on cells upon acute mechanical stress<br>showed that caveolae serve as a membrane reservoir buering surges in membrane<br>tension in their immediate, ATP- and cytoskeleton-independent attening<br>and disassembly. Third, caveolae incorporated in membrane vesicles<br>also showed the tension buering. Finally, in a physiologically more relevant<br>case, human muscle cells were studied, and it was shown that mutations with<br>impaired caveolae which are described in muscular dystrophies render muscle<br>cells less resistant to mechanical stress. In Summary the present work<br>provides experimental evidence for the hypothesis that caveolae buer the<br>membrane tension upon mechanical stress. The fact that this was observed<br>in cells and membrane vesicles in an ATP and cytoskeleton independent<br>manner reveals a passive, mechanically driven process. This could be a leap<br>forward in the comprehension of the role of caveolae in the cell, and in the<br>understanding of genetic diseases like muscular dystrophies.</p> <p> </p

Visualizing Cortical Actin Dynamics Templating Membrane Organization in Blebs and in vitro

<p>Poster at the conference 'Actin Dynamics' in Regensburg, 2012</p

Design of Remodeling Actomyosin Networks in vitro - A Step Towards a Minimal Actin Cortex System

<p>poster for the 58th annual meeting of the American Biophysical Society</p

Caveolae as a Protection Device to Buffer Membrane Tension Surge Upon Mechanical Stress

<p>Poster summarizing a central part of my PhD work at the journees scientifiques of the Curie Institute. </p

Actomyosin Drives Membrane Dynamics in an in vitro Active Composite Layer

<p>poster for the EMBO-FEBS 2014 meeting at Paris. won best poster prize. </p