Question

In thisarticle, in the introduction 3 paragraph first line they said: The flow of water plays a critical part in these processes. Recent experiments suggest the pressure equilibrates within cells giving rise to intercellular flows of cytosol that cells may exploit to create lamellipodial protrusions or blebs of locomotion Equilibration of pressure inside cell is something I don't understand. Okay, in the lamellipodium part of the cell, the cytosol were pushed to that place. It means that there is a pressure gradient so the pressure in the lamellipodium should be different in the pressure of the bulk of the cell where the nucleus is present. Some model assumes that they are equal likehere. Can any body explain what do we mean exactly by pressure equilibrates and volume conservation inside cell? Why it needs to be conserved knowing that the cell is changing its shape i.e. its area and thus the volume? Any good citations?

Answer 1

Cellular pressure equilibration involves the stabilization of internal pressures despite shape or volume changes, allowing the cell to maintain its function and integrity. Volume conservation means that despite local redistribution of cytosol during processes such as lamellipodial protrusion, the total cell volume remains consistent.

Step-by-step explanation:

The concept of pressure equilibration within cells relates to the way internal pressures stabilize across different parts of the cell, despite changes in cell volume or shape. This equilibration is vital for maintaining cellular integrity and supporting various cellular processes like locomotion. When discussing volume conservation in cells, we refer to the way the cell manages its overall volume, which is critical even as it undergoes shape changes during processes like the creation of lamellipodial protrusions. Cells conserve volume and maintain pressure equilibrium through various mechanisms including osmoregulation, where organisms control the balance of water and electrolytes within their cells.

When a cell changes shape, such as when forming a lamellipodium, this can involve local redistribution of cytosol without necessarily changing the total volume of the cell. The cytoplasm and organelles may move around within the cell membrane, but thanks to mechanisms such as the sodium-potassium pump and osmotic adjustment via the flow of water and ions, the cell can maintain its volume and prevent damaging changes in internal pressure.