The art of cellular communication: tunneling nanotubes bridge the divide

摘要: The ability of cells to receive, process, and respond information is essential for a variety biological processes. This true the simplest single cell entity as it highly specialized multicellular organisms. In latter, most do not exist independent units, but are organized into tissues. Within these functional assemblies, communicate with each other in different ways coordinate physiological Recently, new type cell-to-cell communication was discovered, based on de novo formation membranous nanotubes between cells. These F-actin-rich structures, referred tunneling (TNT), were shown mediate membrane continuity connected facilitate intercellular transport various cellular components. subsequent identification TNT-like structures numerous types revealed some structural diversity. At same time emerged that direct transfer cargo common property, suggesting general role selective, long-range communication. Due growing number documented thin long protrusions tissue implicated signaling, intriguing speculate also in vivo participate important