No 2/August 9, 2001
Cave Explorers
Function of small caves on cell surfaces revealed
More than fifty years ago scientists discovered small
invaginations or caves (caveolae) on the surface of different cells without
knowing anything about their function. However, finally today with the help of
genetic engineering scientists have been able to unveil a few of their secrets.
Dr. Marek Drab* (Franz Volhard Clinic of the Medical Faculty of the Charité,
Humboldt-University Berlin, and Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine,
MDC, Berlin-Buch) and Prof. Teymuras Kurzchalia (Max Planck Institute of
Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Dresden) were able to show that these
small caves play a fundamental role in organizing multiple signaling pathways
in the cell. They appear to be vital for pulmonary and cardiovascular function.
The scientists have published their findings in the scientific journal Science
(Published online August 9, 2001; 10.1126/science.1062688, Science Express
Reports).
Dr. Drab and his colleagues disrupted the gene for the protein ”caveolin1” in mice. This protein forms an essential part of the small caves. In doing so, they found out that the knock-out-mice lacked the small caves entirely, compared to their wild-type counterparts who had them in abundance. Furthermore, the lung tissue of the knock-out mice showed a massive overgrowth of endothelial cells, making breathing difficult for the animals. The absence of the small caves also impaired the nitric oxide and calcium signaling in the cardiovascular system causing aberrations in the contractility of cardiac muscle. Much to the scientists’ surprise, this ”dramatic change” of the plasma membrane structure of the cells and the accompanying signaling disturbances caused by the deletion of the caveoloae in the knock-out mice were not lethal. The authors assume that other molecules compensate some functions of caveolin-1.
*Marek Drab1,2, Paul Verkade1,
Marlies Elger3, Michael Kasper4, Matthias Lohn2,3,
Birgit Lauterbach2,3, Jan Menne3, Carsten Lindschau2,3,
Fanny Mende1, Friedrich C. Luft2, Andreas Schedl5,
Hermann Haller3 and Teymuras V. Kurzchalia1,* 1 Max Planck Institute for
Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Pfotenhauer-Str. 108, D-01307 Dresden,
Germany 2 Franz Volhard Clinic and
Max-Delbrück-Center for Molecular Medicine, Humboldt University Berlin,
Wiltberg-Str. 50, D-13125 Berlin, Germany 3 Hannover Medical School,
Karl-Neuberg-Str. 1, D-30625 Hannover, Germany 4 Institute of Anatomy, Technical
University of Dresden, Fetscher-Str. 74, D-01307 Dresden, Germany 5 Max-Delbrück-Center for
Molecular Medicine (MDC) Berlin-Buch, Robert-Roessle-Str. 10, D-13125 Berlin,
Germany
Barbara Bachtler
Press and Public Affairs
Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine (MDC) Berlin-Buch
Robert-Rössle-Straße 10; 13125 Berlin; Germany
Phone: +49 (0) 30 94 06 - 38 96
Fax: +49 (0) 30 94 06 - 38 33
e-mail: presse@mdc-berlin.de
http://www.mdc-berlin.de/englisch/about_the_mdc/public_relations/e_index.htm
and
Claudia Lorenz,
Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics;
01307 Dresden, FRG;
Tel.: +49 (351) 210 2030;
e-mail: claudia.lorenz@mpi-cbg.de;