Macromolecular Crowding: a Hidden Link Between Cell Volume and Everything Else
| Autor: | Manabu Kurokawa, Jordan E Hollembeak, Michael A. Model |
|---|---|
| Rok vydání: | 2021 |
| Předmět: |
0301 basic medicine
lcsh:QP1-981 Macromolecular Substances Physiology Chemistry Cell volume High density Apoptosis lcsh:Physiology lcsh:Biochemistry 03 medical and health sciences 030104 developmental biology 0302 clinical medicine 030220 oncology & carcinogenesis Cell density Macromolecular Complexes Biophysics Animals Humans lcsh:QD415-436 Macromolecular crowding Intracellular Cell Size Macromolecule |
| Zdroj: | Cellular Physiology and Biochemistry, Vol 55, Iss S1, Pp 25-40 (2021) |
| ISSN: | 1421-9778 1015-8987 |
| Popis: | High density of intracellular macromolecules creates a special condition known as macromolecular crowding (MC). One well-established consequence of MC is that only a slight change in the concentration of macromolecules (e.g., proteins) results in a shift of chemical equilibria towards the formation of macromolecular complexes and oligomers. This suggests a physiological mechanism of converting cell density changes into cellular responses. In this review, we start by providing a general overview of MC; then we examine the available experimental evidence that MC may act as a direct signaling factor in several types of cellular activities: mechano- and osmosensing, cell volume recovery in anisosmotic solutions, and apoptotic shrinkage. The latter phenomenon is analyzed in particular detail, as persistent shrinkage is known both to cause apoptosis and to occur during apoptosis resulting from other stimuli. We point to specific apoptotic reactions that involve formation of macromolecular complexes and, therefore, may provide a link between shrinkage and downstream responses. |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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