https://doi.org/10.1140/epjs/s11734-024-01108-3
Review
Dissecting membrane interfacial cellular processes: an in vitro reconstitution approach
1
School of Biological Sciences, National Institute of Science Education and Research, Bhubaneswar, India
2
Homi Bhabha National Institute, Mumbai, India
a
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Received:
30
November
2023
Accepted:
22
January
2024
Published online:
16
February
2024
Abstract
Cellular membrane interfacial processes are highly complex phenomena that are challenging to explore in vivo, often limiting their mechanistic understanding. The plethora of participating biological entities and their unprecedented complex interactions might also mask their core guiding principles. In vitro reconstitution experiments with a reductionist bottom-up approach attempt to dissect the biological complexity by recreating biological reactions in their simplest form. This review focuses on the cellular membrane interfacial processes crucial for cellular transport, neurodegeneration, and host–pathogen interactions. We discuss how reconstitution methodologies have played a crucial role in addressing many of the fundamental questions dealing with the mechanisms of clathrin-dependent or independent endocytosis and the Endosomal Sorting Complex Required for Transport (ESCRT) pathway. In addition, we have discussed how reconstitution-based approaches helped explore membrane-mediated alterations in the onset of neurodegenerative diseases and host–pathogen interactions. Importantly, the reconstitution approach, though predominantly applied but not limited to addressing questions on cellular membrane shaping, is gradually gaining attention across multiple areas of cell biology.
© The Author(s) 2024
modified publication 2026
Open Access This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, which permits use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons licence, and indicate if changes were made. The images or other third party material in this article are included in the article's Creative Commons licence, unless indicated otherwise in a credit line to the material. If material is not included in the article's Creative Commons licence and your intended use is not permitted by statutory regulation or exceeds the permitted use, you will need to obtain permission directly from the copyright holder. To view a copy of this licence, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/.
