title: Modeling intercellular transfer of biomolecules through tunneling nanotubes.
abstract: Tunneling nanotubes (TNTs) have previosly been observed as long and thin transient structures forming between cells and intercellular protein transfer through them has been experimentally verified. It is hypothesized that this may be a physiologically important means of cell-cell communication. This paper attempts to give a simple model for the rates of transfer of molecules across these TNTs at different distances. We describe the transfer of both cytosolic and membrane bound molecules between neighboring populations of cells and argue how the lifetime of the TNT, the diffusion rate, distance between cells, and the size of the molecules may affect their transfer. The model described makes certain predictions and opens a number of questions to be explored experimentally.
authors: Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.
authors: Yasir
authors: Y
authors: Suhail
authors: Kshitiz
authors: Justin
authors: J
authors: Lee
authors: Mark
authors: M
authors: Walker
authors: Deok-Ho
authors: DH
authors: Kim
authors: Matthew D
authors: MD
authors: Brennan
authors: Joel S
authors: JS
authors: Bader
authors: Andre
authors: A
authors: Levchenko
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002450:Cell Communication / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D055641:Mathematical Concepts; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D008954:Models, Biological; D043942:Nanotubes; D021381:Protein Transport
chemical_list: D008565:Membrane Proteins