Bleb (cell biology)

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The process of apoptosis, with blebbing shown in the middle illustration
The process of apoptosis, with blebbing shown in the middle illustration

In cell biology, a bleb is an irregular bulge in the plasma membrane of a cell undergoing apoptosis. Blebbing is the term used to describe its formation. During apoptosis, the cell's cytoskeleton breaks up and causes the membrane to bulge outward. These bulges may separate from the cell, taking a portion of cytoplasm with them, to become known as apoptotic bodies. Phagocytic cells eventually consume these fragments and the components are recycled.

Depending on the cell type, blebbing may also occur during cell locomotion, cell division, and physical or chemical stresses. The types of blebs vary greatly, including variations in bleb growth rates, size, contents, and actin content.

Recently, it has been discovered by researchers and colleagues from the Harvard Medical School that blebbistatin,[1] a small molecule inhibitor discovered in a screen for inhibitors of nonmuscle myosin IIA, works to inhibit blebbing.[2] It was shown to do so by lowering the affinity of myosin with actin.[3][4]

[edit] References

  1. ^ (−)-Blebbistatin - Sigma-Aldrich
  2. ^ Drug Stops Motor Protein, Shines Light on Cell Division - FOCUS March 21, 2003. Retrieved April 8, 2008.
  3. ^ Mihály Kovács et al. (2004). Mechanism of Blebbistatin Inhibition of Myosin II, J. Biol. Chem., 279(34):35557-35563.
  4. ^ Limouze J, Straight AF, Mitchison T, Sellers JR. (2004). Specificity of blebbistatin, an inhibitor of myosin II. J Muscle Res Cell Motil. 25(4-5):337-41.
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