title: The plasma membrane as a capacitor for energy and metabolism.
abstract: When considering which components of the cell are the most critical to function and physiology, we naturally focus on the nucleus, the mitochondria that regulate energy and apoptotic signaling, or other organelles such as the endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi, ribosomes, etc. Few people will suggest that the membrane is the most critical element of a cell in terms of function and physiology. Those that consider the membrane critical will point to its obvious barrier function regulated by the lipid bilayer and numerous ion channels that regulate homeostatic gradients. What becomes evident upon closer inspection is that not all membranes are created equal and that there are lipid-rich microdomains that serve as platforms of signaling and a means of communication with the intracellular environment. In this review, we explore the evolution of membranes, focus on lipid-rich microdomains, and advance the novel concept that membranes serve as "capacitors for energy and metabolism." Within this framework, the membrane then is the primary and critical regulator of stress and disease adaptation of the cell.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterans Affairs San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, California; Department of Anesthesiology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California; and.
authors.forename: Supriyo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ray
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterans Affairs San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, California; Department of Anesthesiology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California; and.
authors.forename: Adam
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kassan
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterans Affairs San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, California; Department of Anesthesiology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California; and.
authors.forename: Anna R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Busija
authors.affiliation: Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California.
authors.forename: Padmini
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rangamani
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterans Affairs San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, California; Department of Anesthesiology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California; and hepatel@ucsd.edu.
authors.forename: Hemal H
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Patel
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005075:Biological Evolution; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000378:metabolism*; D004548:Elasticity; D025802:Electric Capacitance; D004734:Energy Metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008560:Membrane Fluidity; D008563:Membrane Lipids / Q000378:metabolism; D021962:Membrane Microdomains / Q000378:metabolism; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D008954:Models, Biological; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D010100:Oxygen / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction
chemical_list: D008563:Membrane Lipids; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D010100:Oxygen
keywords: caveolae; cholesterol; energy; membrane; metabolism; rafts