Membrane tension determines the geometry of donut-shaped transcellular holes. (March 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Torbati, Mehdi; Agrawal, Ashutosh
• Is Part Of: Mathematics and mechanics of solids. Volume 27:Number 3(2022)
• Page Start: 501
• Page End: 506
• Publication Date: 2022-03
• Subjects: Lipid membrane -- donut-shaped hole -- curvature elasticity; Materials -- Mechanical properties -- Periodicals; Solids -- Periodicals; Materials science -- Mathematics -- Periodicals; 620.11205
• DOI: 10.1177/10812865211025820
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1081-2865

Abstract

Bacteria and leukocytes employ donut-shaped transcellular holes in plasma membrane to cross the endothelial barrier. How these fused holes are regulated in a double-bilayer system is currently poorly understood. Here we use membrane physics to present a universal relationship that determines the geometry of the donut-shaped holes. Our study reveals that hole radius is determined by plasma membrane tension via a commonly used critical length scaleκ / λ defined by flexural stiffness (κ ) and in-plane tension (λ ). This relationship suggests that the hole diameter increases with a reduction in membrane tension, a finding aligned with the experimental observations but in contrast with the main current model in the literature.