Bleb Expansion in Migrating Cells Depends on Supply of Membrane from Cell Surface Invaginations

Publication date: Available online 22 November 2017
Source:Developmental Cell
Author(s): Mohammad Goudarzi, Katsiaryna Tarbashevich, Karina Mildner, Isabell Begemann, Jamie Garcia, Azadeh Paksa, Michal Reichman-Fried, Harsha Mahabaleshwar, Heiko Blaser, Johannes Hartwig, Dagmar Zeuschner, Milos Galic, Michel Bagnat, Timo Betz, Erez Raz
Cell migration is essential for morphogenesis, organ formation, and homeostasis, with relevance for clinical conditions. The migration of primordial germ cells (PGCs) is a useful model for studying this process in the context of the developing embryo. Zebrafish PGC migration depends on the formation of cellular protrusions in form of blebs, a type of protrusion found in various cell types. Here we report on the mechanisms allowing the inflation of the membrane during bleb formation. We show that the rapid expansion of the protrusion depends on membrane invaginations that are localized preferentially at the cell front. The formation of these invaginations requires the function of Cdc42, and their unfolding allows bleb inflation and dynamic cell-shape changes performed by migrating cells. Inhibiting the formation and release of the invaginations strongly interfered with bleb formation, cell motility, and the ability of the cells to reach their target.

Teaser

Blebs are cellular protrusions that play key roles in a range of physiological and disease processes. Employing the primordial germ cells of zebrafish as an in vivo model for cell migration, Goudarzi et al. show that the rapid expansion of protrusions of this type depends on unfolding of membrane invaginations.


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