Intracellular pressure controls the propagation of tension in crumpled cell membranes

Raviv Dharan, Avishai Barnoy, Andrey K. Tsaturyan, Alon Grossman, Shahar Goren, Inbar Yosibash, Dikla Nachmias, Natalie Elia, Raya Sorkin () and Michael M. Kozlov ()
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Raviv Dharan: Tel Aviv University
Avishai Barnoy: Tel Aviv University
Andrey K. Tsaturyan: Tel Aviv University
Alon Grossman: Tel Aviv University
Shahar Goren: Tel Aviv University
Inbar Yosibash: Tel Aviv University
Dikla Nachmias: Ben-Gurion University of the Negev
Natalie Elia: Ben-Gurion University of the Negev
Raya Sorkin: Tel Aviv University
Michael M. Kozlov: Tel Aviv University

Nature Communications, 2025, vol. 16, issue 1, 1-13

Abstract: Abstract Propagation of membrane tension mediates mechanical signal transduction along surfaces of live cells and sets the time scale of mechanical equilibration of cell membranes. Recent studies in several cell types and under different conditions revealed a strikingly wide variation range of the tension propagation speeds including extremely low ones. The latter suggests a possibility of long-living inhomogeneities of membrane tension crucially affecting mechano-sensitive membrane processes. Here, we propose, analyze theoretically, and support experimentally a mechanism of tension propagation in membranes crumpled by the contractile cortical cytoskeleton. The tension spreading is mediated by the membrane flow between the crumples. We predict the pace of the tension propagation to be controlled by the intra-cellular pressure and the degree of the membrane crumpling. We provide experimental support for the suggested mechanism by monitoring the rate of tension propagation in cells exposed to external media of different osmolarities.

Date: 2025
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-55398-1

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