title: Organelle remodeling at membrane contact sites.
abstract: Cellular organelles must execute sophisticated biological processes to persist, and often communicate with one another to exchange metabolites and information. Recent studies suggest inter-organelle membrane contact sites (MCSs) are hubs for this cellular cross-talk. MCSs also govern membrane remodeling, thus controlling aspects of organelle shape, identity, and function. Here, we summarize three emerging phenomena that MCSs appear to govern: 1) organelle identity via the non-vesicular exchange of lipids, 2) mitochondrial shape and division, and 3) endosomal migration in response to sterol trafficking. We also discuss the role for ER-endolysosomal contact sites in cholesterol metabolism, and the potential biomedical importance this holds. Indeed, the emerging field inter-organellar cross-talk promises substantial advances in the fields of lipid metabolism and cell signaling.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cell Biology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, 6000 Harry Hines Blvd, Dallas, TX 75390, USA. Electronic address: mike.henne@utsouthwestern.edu.
authors.forename: W Mike
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Henne
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007425:Intracellular Membranes / Q000378:metabolism*; D050356:Lipid Metabolism; D008247:Lysosomes; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000502:physiology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D015388:Organelles / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure
chemical_list: D002784:Cholesterol
keywords: Endoplasmic Reticulum (ER); Endosome; Membrane contact site (MCS); Mitochondria; Phospholipid; Plasma membrane (PM)