The actin cytoskeleton has been implicated in restricting diffusion of plasma membrane components. Here, simultaneous observations of quantum dot-labelled FcεRI motion and GFPtagged actin dynamics provide direct evidence that actin filament bundles define micron-sized domains that confine mobile receptors. Dynamic reorganisation of actin structures occurs over seconds, making the location and dimensions of actin-defined domains time dependent. Multiple FcεRI often maintain extended close proximity without detectable correlated motion, suggesting that they are co-confined within membrane domains. FcεRI signalling is activated by cross-linking with multivalent antigen. We show that receptors become immobilised within seconds of crosslinking. Disruption of the actin cytoskeleton results in delayed immobilisation kinetics and increased diffusion of cross-linked clusters. These results implicate actin in membrane partitioning that not only restricts diffusion of membrane proteins, but also dynamically influences their longrange mobility, sequestration, and response to ligand binding.Signal transduction from the external environment to the cell interior is typically mediated by ligand-bound transmembrane receptors embedded in a lipid bilayer. In many systems, receptor activation is associated with changes in receptor dynamics and membrane topography1 -3 . Among these are the multi-chain immune recognition receptor family members that include the B-cell receptor (BCR) of B-cells, the T-cell receptor (TCR) of Tcells, and the high affinity IgE receptor (FcεRI) of mast cells and basophils, which are crucial to the execution of key events in the immune response. Cross-linking of these transmembrane receptors induces receptor oligomerisation, protein and lipid kinase activation and Ca 2+ mobilisation, leading in turn to cytoskeletal reorganisation, receptor trafficking and cell-specific responses including altered gene expression [4][5][6] . These signalling events have been well studied by biochemical techniques, but the precise mechanism by which oligomerisation initiates these events has remained elusive. Full understanding of these complex signalling cascades will require a more complete description of receptor movements in the membrane, including restrictions that might limit receptor diffusion and accessibility.Correspondence should be addressed to D.S.L. (dlidke@salud.unm.edu). 4 These authors contributed equally to this work. NIH Public Access Author ManuscriptNat Cell Biol. Author manuscript; available in PMC 2011 January 18. NIH-PA Author ManuscriptNIH-PA Author Manuscript NIH-PA Author ManuscriptA rich literature on single particle tracking (SPT) methods to follow the lateral diffusion of transmembrane and membrane-associated proteins7 -10 has revealed nanometer-scale "confinement zones" that restrict lateral diffusion and supports the general notion that plasma membrane organisation is more structured than originally postulated by the fluid mosaic model11. A membrane-skeleton fence (picket fence) model ...

Although much evidence suggests that the plasma membrane of eukaryotic cells is not homogenous, the precise architecture of this important structure has not been clear. Here we use transmission electron microscopy of plasma membrane sheets and specific probes to show that most or all plasma membrane-associated proteins are clustered in cholesterol-enriched domains (''islands'') that are separated by ''protein-free'' and cholesterol-low membrane. These islands are further divided into subregions, as shown by the localization of ''raft'' and ''non-raft'' markers to specific areas. Abundant actin staining and inhibitor studies show that these structures are connected to the cytoskeleton and at least partially depend on it for their formation and/or maintenance.cholesterol ͉ electron microscopy ͉ microdomains ͉ plasma membrane structure

We have determined the membrane topography of the high-affinity IgE receptor, FcεRI, and its associated tyrosine kinases, Lyn and Syk, by immunogold labeling and transmission electron microscopic (TEM) analysis of membrane sheets prepared from RBL-2H3 mast cells. The method of Sanan and Anderson (Sanan, D.A., and R.G.W. Anderson. 1991. J. Histochem. Cytochem. 39:1017–1024) was modified to generate membrane sheets from the dorsal surface of RBL-2H3 cells. Signaling molecules were localized on the cytoplasmic face of these native membranes by immunogold labeling and high-resolution TEM analysis. In unstimulated cells, the majority of gold particles marking both FcεRI and Lyn are distributed as small clusters (2–9 gold particles) that do not associate with clathrin-coated membrane. Approximately 25% of FcεRI clusters contain Lyn. In contrast, there is essentially no FcεRI-Syk colocalization in resting cells. 2 min after FcεRI cross-linking, ∼10% of Lyn colocalizes with small and medium-sized FcεRI clusters (up to 20 gold particles), whereas ∼16% of Lyn is found in distinctive strings and clusters at the periphery of large receptor clusters (20–100 gold particles) that form on characteristically osmiophilic membrane patches. While Lyn is excluded, Syk is dramatically recruited into these larger aggregates. The clathrin-coated pits that internalize cross-linked receptors bud from membrane adjacent to the Syk-containing receptor complexes. The sequential association of FcεRI with Lyn, Syk, and coated pits in topographically distinct membrane domains implicates membrane segregation in the regulation of FcεRI signaling.

Binding of antigen to IgE-receptor complexes on the surface of RBL-2H3 rat basophilic leukemia cells is the first event leading to the release of cellular serotonin, histamine, and other mediators of allergic, asthmatic, and inflammatory responses. We have used dinitrophenol-conjugated bovine serum albumin (DNP-BSA) as well as the fluorescent antigen, DNP-B-phycoerythrin, and the electron-dense antigen, DNP-BSA-gold, to investigate dynamic membrane and cytoskeletal events associated with the release of [3H]serotonin from anti-DNP-IgE-primed RBL-2H3 cells. These multivalent antigens bind rapidly to cell surface IgE-receptor complexes. Their distribution is initially uniform, but within 2 min DNP-BSAgold is found in coated pits and is subsequently internalized. Antigen internalization occurs in the presence and absence of extracellular Ca 2÷. The F-actin content of the detergent-extracted cell matrices analyzed by SDS PAGE decreases during the first 10-30 s of antigen binding and then increases by 1 min to almost double the control levels. A rapid and sustained increase is also observed when total F-actin is quantified by flow cytometry after binding of rhodaminephalloidin. The antigen-stimulated increase in F-actin coincides with (and may cause) the transformation of the cell surface from a finely microvillous to a highly folded or plicated topography. Other early membrane responses include increased cell spreading and a 2-3-fold increase in the uptake of fluorescein-dextran by fluid pinocytosis. The surface and Factin changes show the same dependence on DNP-protein concentration as stimulated [3HI serotonin release; and both the membrane responses and the release of mediators are terminated by the addition of the non-cross-linking monovalent ligand, DNP-lysine. These data indicate that the same antigen-stimulated transduction pathway controls both the membrane/cytoskeletal and secretory events. However, the membrane and actin responses to IgEreceptor cross-linking are independent of extracellular Ca 2+ and are mimicked by phorbol myristate acetate, whereas ligand-dependent mediator release depends on extracellular Ca 2+ and is mimicked by the Ca 2+ ionophore A23187.The release of histamine, serotonin, and other inflammatory mediators from mast cells and basophils is the precipitating event in a variety of acute allergic, asthmatic, and inflammatory reactions (38). This release occurs by the fusion of cytoplasmic granules with each other and with the plasma membrane, leading to the discharge of granule matrix and soluble mediators (13). Current studies of the sequence of biochemical and morphological events leading to degranulation are focused on the rat basophil-like cell line, . In this cell line degranulation is measured by the release of [3H]serotonin or histamine after cross-linking of surface IgE-receptor complexes with multivalent antigen. Biochemical studies have shown that antigen binding stimulates phosphatidylinositol turnover and generates two second messengers, diacylglycerol to activate pro...