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Membranes
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Recent Developments in Membrane Biology
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Recent Developments in Membrane Biology

A special issue of Membranes (ISSN 2077-0375). This special issue belongs to the section "Biological Membrane Composition and Structures".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 June 2022) | Viewed by 12558

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Mikhail V. Dubinin

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of biochemistry, cell biology and microbiology, Mari State University, pl. Lenina 1, Yoshkar-Ola, Mari El, Russia
Interests: biochemistry; biophysics; mitochondria; membranes; myopathy; liposomes; lipids; oxidative stress
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Konstantin Belosludtsev

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute of Theoretical and Experimental Biophysics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Institutskaya 3, 142290 Pushchino, Russia
Interests: mitochondria; biophysics; diabetes mellitus; myopathy; mitochondrial Ca2+ transport; permeability transition pore; oxidative stress; reactive oxygen species; lipids; membrane proteins; liposomes
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Biomembranology is one of the broadest areas of modern biology, primarily due to the functions of biological membranes (barrier, energetic, receptor, etc.). In recent years, significant progress has been achieved in our understanding of many processes occurring both in the lipid bilayer and on its surface. The reason for this is the widespread use of modern experimental or computational methods including but not limited to those with Cryo-EM, AFM, diffraction, NMR, computer simulations, or biochemistry aimed at membrane-associated or membrane-embedded proteins or model membrane systems. These methods made it possible not only to identify lipid and protein structures that form the basis of biological membranes, but also to evaluate dynamic changes in biological membranes that arise under the influence of physical and chemical factors. This is extremely important, both for understanding the fundamental foundations of the evolution and functioning of membranes in health and disease, and for developing strategies for controlling the processes occurring in biological membranes.

This Special Issue focuses on the latest advances in membrane biology. We invite you to submit reviews and original research papers further advancing our knowledge of the structure and function of membranes and their components in health and disease, as well as the effect of various ligands on their properties. We will also consider methodological developments and advancements used to study membranes.

Dr. Mikhail V. Dubinin
Prof. Dr. Konstantin Belosludtsev
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Membranes is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2200 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • Biological membranes
  • Artificial lipid membranes
  • Model membrane systems
  • Membrane fluidity and composition
  • Membrane dynamics
  • Membrane permeability
  • Membrane signaling and receptors
  • Membrane channels
  • Protein–lipid interactions
  • Membrane biomedical applications
  • Membrane transporters
  • Membrane bioenergetics

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue polices can be found here.

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

24 pages, 123676 KiB  
Article
The Neural Multilineage Differentiation Capacity of Human Neural Precursors from the Umbilical Cord—Ready to Bench for Clinical Trials
by Daiany de Souza Dobuchak, Priscila Elias Ferreira Stricker, Nathalia Barth de Oliveira, Bassam Felipe Mogharbel, Nádia Nascimento da Rosa, Dilcele Silva Moreira Dziedzic, Ana Carolina Irioda and Katherine Athayde Teixeira de Carvalho
Membranes 2022, 12(9), 873; https://doi.org/10.3390/membranes12090873 - 9 Sep 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2253
Abstract
Mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) are promising for regenerative medicine as they have a vast differentiation capacity, immunomodulatory properties and can be isolated from different tissues. Among them, the umbilical cord is considered a good source of MSC, as its collection poses no risk [...] Read more.
Mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) are promising for regenerative medicine as they have a vast differentiation capacity, immunomodulatory properties and can be isolated from different tissues. Among them, the umbilical cord is considered a good source of MSC, as its collection poses no risk to donors and is unrelated to ethical issues. Furthermore, umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (UC-MSC) can differentiate into several cell lines, including neural lineages that, in the future, may become an alternative in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases. This study used a natural functional biopolymer matrix (NFBX) as a membrane to differentiate UC-MSC into neurospheres and their Neural precursors without using neurogenic growth factors or gene transfection. Through the characterization of Neural precursors and differentiated cells, it was possible to demonstrate the broad potential for the differentiation of cells obtained through cultivation on this membrane. To demonstrate these Neural precursors’ potential for future studies in neurodegenerative diseases, the Neural precursors from Wharton’s jelly were differentiated into Schwann cells, oligodendrocytes, cholinergic-, dopaminergic- and GABAergic-like neurons. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Developments in Membrane Biology)
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18 pages, 13968 KiB  
Article
In Vivo Evaluation of Permeable and Impermeable Membranes for Guided Bone Regeneration
by Suelen Cristina Sartoretto, Natalia de Freitas Gens, Rodrigo Figueiredo de Brito Resende, Adriana Terezinha Neves Novellino Alves, Rafael Cury Cecato, Marcelo José Uzeda, Jose Mauro Granjeiro, Monica Diuana Calasans-Maia and Jose Albuquerque Calasans-Maia
Membranes 2022, 12(7), 711; https://doi.org/10.3390/membranes12070711 - 15 Jul 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 3136
Abstract
Background: The degree of biodegradation and the inflammatory response of membranes employed for guided bone regeneration directly impact the outcome of this technique. This study aimed to evaluate four different experimental versions of Poly (L-lactate-co-Trimethylene Carbonate) (PTMC) + Poly (L-lactate-co-glycolate) (PLGA) membranes, implanted [...] Read more.
Background: The degree of biodegradation and the inflammatory response of membranes employed for guided bone regeneration directly impact the outcome of this technique. This study aimed to evaluate four different experimental versions of Poly (L-lactate-co-Trimethylene Carbonate) (PTMC) + Poly (L-lactate-co-glycolate) (PLGA) membranes, implanted in mouse subcutaneous tissue, compared to a commercially available membrane and a Sham group. Methods: Sixty Balb-C mice were randomly divided into six experimental groups and subdivided into 1, 3, 6 and 12 weeks (n = 5 groups/period). The membranes (1 cm2) were implanted in the subcutaneous back tissue of the animals. The samples were obtained for descriptive and semiquantitative histological evaluation (ISO 10993-6). Results: G1 and G4 allowed tissue adhesion and the permeation of inflammatory cells over time and showed greater phagocytic activity and permeability. G2 and G3 detached from the tissue in one and three weeks; however, in the more extended periods, they presented a rectilinear and homogeneous aspect and were not absorbed. G2 had a major inflammatory reaction. G5 was almost completely absorbed after 12 weeks. Conclusions: The membranes are considered biocompatible. G5 showed a higher degree of biosorption, followed by G1 and G4. G2 and G3 are considered non-absorbable in the studied periods. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Developments in Membrane Biology)
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22 pages, 5445 KiB  
Article
Cell Surface Binding and Lipid Interactions behind Chemotherapy-Drug-Induced Ion Pore Formation in Membranes
by Md. Ashrafuzzaman, Zahid Khan, Ashwaq Alqarni, Mohammad Alanazi and Mohammad Shahabul Alam
Membranes 2021, 11(7), 501; https://doi.org/10.3390/membranes11070501 - 30 Jun 2021
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 2839
Abstract
Chemotherapy drugs (CDs) disrupt the lipid membrane’s insulation properties by inducing stable ion pores across bilayer membranes. The underlying molecular mechanisms behind pore formation have been revealed in this study using several methods that confirm molecular interactions and detect associated energetics of drugs [...] Read more.
Chemotherapy drugs (CDs) disrupt the lipid membrane’s insulation properties by inducing stable ion pores across bilayer membranes. The underlying molecular mechanisms behind pore formation have been revealed in this study using several methods that confirm molecular interactions and detect associated energetics of drugs on the cell surface in general and in lipid bilayers in particular. Liposome adsorption and cell surface binding of CD colchicine has been demonstrated experimentally. Buffer dissolved CDs were considerably adsorbed in the incubated phospholipid liposomes, measured using the patented ‘direct detection method’. The drug adsorption process is regulated by the membrane environment, demonstrated in cholesterol-containing liposomes. We then detailed the phenomenology and energetics of the low nanoscale dimension cell surface (membrane) drug distribution, using atomic force microscopy (AFM) imaging what addresses the surface morphology and measures adhesion force (reducible to adhesive energy). Liposome adsorption and cell surface binding data helped model the cell surface drug distribution. The underlying molecular interactions behind surface binding energetics of drugs have been addressed in silico numerical computations (NCs) utilizing the screened Coulomb interactions among charges in a drug–drug/lipid cluster. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of the CD-lipid complexes detected primarily important CD-lipid electrostatic and van der Waals (vdW) interaction energies. From the energetics point of view, both liposome and cell surface membrane adsorption of drugs are therefore obvious findings. Colchicine treated cell surface AFM images provide a few important phenomenological conclusions, such as drugs bind generally with the cell surface, bind independently as well as in clusters of various sizes in random cell surface locations. The related adhesion energy decreases with increasing drug cluster size before saturating for larger clusters. MD simulation detected electrostatic and vdW and NC-derived charge-based interactions explain molecularly of the cause of cell surface binding of drugs. The membrane binding/association of drugs may help create drug–lipid complexes with specific energetics and statistically lead to the creation of ion channels. We reveal here crucial molecular understanding and features of the pore formation inside lipid membranes that may be applied universally for most of the pore-forming existing agents and novel candidate drugs. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Developments in Membrane Biology)
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14 pages, 3203 KiB  
Article
Effect of F16-Betulin Conjugate on Mitochondrial Membranes and Its Role in Cell Death Initiation
by Mikhail V. Dubinin, Alena A. Semenova, Darya A. Nedopekina, Eldar V. Davletshin, Anna Yu. Spivak and Konstantin N. Belosludtsev
Membranes 2021, 11(5), 352; https://doi.org/10.3390/membranes11050352 - 10 May 2021
Cited by 23 | Viewed by 3070
Abstract
This work demonstrates the effects of a newly synthesized conjugate of the plant triterpenoid betulin and the penetrating cation F16 used for mitochondrial targeting. The resulting F16-betulin conjugate revealed a mitochondria-targeted effect, decreasing the mitochondrial potential and inducing superoxide overproduction in rat thymocytes [...] Read more.
This work demonstrates the effects of a newly synthesized conjugate of the plant triterpenoid betulin and the penetrating cation F16 used for mitochondrial targeting. The resulting F16-betulin conjugate revealed a mitochondria-targeted effect, decreasing the mitochondrial potential and inducing superoxide overproduction in rat thymocytes in vitro. It has been suggested that this may cause the cytotoxic effect of the conjugate, which significantly exceeds the effectiveness of its precursors, betulin and F16. Using isolated rat liver mitochondria, we found that the F16-betulin conjugate has a surface-active effect on mitochondrial membranes, causing organelle aggregation. This effect of the derivative resulted in a dose-dependent decrease in mitochondrial transmembrane potential, as well as suppression of respiration and oxidative phosphorylation, especially in the case of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD)-fueled organelles. In addition, the F16-betulin conjugate caused an increase in H2O2 generation by mitochondria fueled with glutamate and malate. These effects of the derivative can presumably be due to the powerful suppression of the redox activity of complex I of the mitochondrial electron transport chain. The paper discusses how the mitochondria-targeted effects of the F16-betulin conjugate may be related to its cytotoxic effects. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Developments in Membrane Biology)
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