title: Use the force: membrane tension as an organizer of cell shape and motility.
abstract: Many cell phenomena that involve shape changes are affected by the intrinsic deformability of the plasma membrane (PM). Far from being a passive participant, the PM is now known to physically, as well as biochemically, influence cell processes ranging from vesicle trafficking to actin assembly. Here we review current understanding of how changes in PM tension regulate cell shape and movement, as well as how cells sense PM tension.
authors.affiliation: Bioengineering Department and Biophysics Program, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA.
authors.forename: Alba
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Diz-Muñoz
authors.forename: Daniel A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Fletcher
authors.forename: Orion D
authors.initials: OD
authors.lastname: Weiner
mesh_terms: D000199:Actins / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D021941:Caveolae / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D002465:Cell Movement; D016764:Cell Polarity; D048430:Cell Shape; D003599:Cytoskeleton / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D004548:Elasticity; D004705:Endocytosis; D005089:Exocytosis; D040542:Mechanotransduction, Cellular; D009218:Myosins / Q000378:metabolism; D013312:Stress, Physiological
chemical_list: D000199:Actins; D009218:Myosins