08/11 : Carolina Gomis Perez – Rapid propagation of membrane tension at retinal bipolar neuron presynaptic terminals

Carolina Gomis Perez, Associate Research Scientist, Yale School of medicine

SPPIN’s webinar 2022, 8 novembre at 10h in room R229 and online – Ask link to a SPPIN member.

Rapid propagation of membrane tension at retinal bipolar neuron presynaptic terminals

Many cellular activities, such as cell migration, cell division, phagocytosis, and exo-endocytosis, generate and are regulated by membrane tension gradients. Membrane tension gradients drive membrane flows, but there is controversy over how rapidly plasma membrane flow can relax tension gradients. Here we show that membrane tension can propagate rapidly or slowly, spanning orders of magnitude in speed, depending on cell type. In a neuronal terminal specialized for rapid synaptic vesicle turnover, membrane tension equilibrates within seconds. By contrast, membrane tension does not propagate in neuroendocrine adrenal chromaffin cells secreting catecholamines. Stimulation of exocytosis causes a rapid, global decrease in the synaptic terminal membrane tension, which recovers slowly due to endocytosis. Thus, membrane flow and tension equilibration may be adapted to distinct membrane recycling requirements.