Actin dynamics and myosin contractility during plasma membrane repair and restoration: Does one ring really heal them all?

Abstract

In order to survive daily insults, cells have evolved various mechanisms that detect, stabilize and repair damages done to their plasma membrane and cytoskeletal structures. Damage to the PM endangers wounded cells by exposing them to uncontrolled exchanges with the extracellular milieu. The processes and molecular machinery enabling PM repair are therefore at the center of the bulk of the investigations into single-cell repair program. Wounds are repaired by dynamically remodeling the composition and shape of the injured area through exocytosis-mediated release of intracellular membrane components to the wounded area, endocytosis-mediated removal of the injured area, or the shedding of the injury. The wound healing program of Xenopus oocytes and early Drosophila embryos is by contrast, mostly characterized by the rapid formation of a large membrane patch over the wound that eventually fuse with the plasma membrane which restores plasma membrane continuity and lead to the shedding of patch material into the extracellular space. Formation and contraction of actomyosin ring restores normal plasma membrane composition and organizes cytoskeletal repairs. The extend of the contributions of the cytoskeleton to the wound healing program of somatic cells have comparatively received little attention. This review offers a survey of the current knowledge on how actin dynamics, myosin-based contraction and other cytoskeletal structures affects PM and cortical cytoskeleton repair of somatic cells.