Abstract
Tunneling nanotubes (TNTs) are recognized long membrane nanotubes connecting distance cells. In the last decade, growing evidence has shown that these subcellular structures mediate the specific transfer of cellular materials, pathogens, and electrical signals between cells. As intercellular bridges, they play a unique role in embryonic development, collective cell migration, injured cell recovery, cancer treatment resistance, and pathogen propagation. Although TNTs have been considered as potential drug targets for treatment, there is still a long way to go to translate the research findings into clinical practice. Herein, we emphasize the heterogeneous nature of TNTs by systemically summarizing the current knowledge on their morphology, structure, and biogenesis in different types of cells. Furthermore, we address the communication efficiency and biological outcomes of TNT-dependent transport related to diseases. Finally, we discuss the opportunities and challenges of TNTs as an exciting therapeutic approach by focusing on the development of efficient and safe drugs targeting TNTs.
Highlights
One explanation for such a variation is that tunneling nanotubes (TNTs) conmechanism of microtubule-containing TNT (MT-TNTs) formation is still unknown, our study provided evidence that end-binding protein 3 (EB3), a microtubule plus-end tracking protein, moved in MT-TNTs in PC12 cells [19]
There has been significant progress in the investigation aiming to understand the biology of TNTs
The outcomes of such heterogeneity are still not fully clear, the roles of TNTs in tissue repair, cancer, and infectious and neurodegenerative diseases indicate a wide range of implications of TNTs in the field of biomedical research
Summary
Multicellular organisms coordinate cell behavior, regulate morphogenesis, and maintain tissue homeostasis by secreting chemical molecules, releasing exosomes, and establishing direct connections such as neuronal synapses and gap junctions [1]. Using cryo-electron mipotential targets [6,24] Such an endeavor could take a long way towards future croscopy, Sartori-Rupp and his colleagues recently revealed that TNTs were composed of a clinical application dueintomouse our limited knowledge about theseand heterogenetic structures. By analyzing the electron microscope images, the diameter of the TNTs was measured from hundreds of nanometers to a microscale [27] One explanation for such a variation is that TNTs conmechanism of microtubule-containing TNT (MT-TNTs) formation is still unknown, our study provided evidence that end-binding protein 3 (EB3), a microtubule plus-end tracking protein, moved in MT-TNTs in PC12 cells [19]. The difference in the cytoskeleton composition of TNTs indicates the existence of different formation mechanisms and leads to its functional diversity
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