Neutrophil Membrane Dynamics

Cell types across the tree of life maintain excess membrane. Fibroblasts, ameboid dictyostelium, early stage mammalian embryos, and nearly all immune cell types, organize portions of their plasma membrane into thin structures rich in membrane and poor in cytoplasm. While these structures have unique functions within any given cell type/organism, less is understood about how this organization of membrane also defines shape and mechanical state.

Despite the breadth of examples of membrane reservoirs across biology, their role in immune cells is understudied despite interest. Neutrophils, the first responder of the innate immune system, maintain excess membrane in folds and filopodia. The work herein aims to better understand the role of the neutrophil membrane reservoir in cell shape, cell shape change, and migration.

Microscopy

HL60s were imaged using the SOLS microscope at volumetric rate of 1.1 vol/s. The volumetric rendering below displays collected datasets. Cells are stimulated with 488nm light at timepoint 8.

Keyboard: Space = play/pause focused view, Arrow keys = step frames

Mesh Generation

Meshes of the cell surface are generated to visualize membrane dynamics.

Fine membrane features are classified using the shape diameter function. Individual membrane reservoirs are labeled in blue and lamellipodia in orange.