IMR Press / FBL / Volume 11 / Issue 2 / DOI: 10.2741/1897

Frontiers in Bioscience-Landmark (FBL) is published by IMR Press from Volume 26 Issue 5 (2021). Previous articles were published by another publisher on a subscription basis, and they are hosted by IMR Press on imrpress.com as a courtesy and upon agreement with Frontiers in Bioscience.

Article
Role of microtubules and myosins in Fc gamma receptor-mediated phagocytosis
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1 Department of Histology and Cell Biology, School of Medicine, Kagawa University, Miki, Kagawa 761-0793, Japan
Front. Biosci. (Landmark Ed) 2006, 11(2), 1479–1490; https://doi.org/10.2741/1897
Published: 1 May 2006
Abstract

Microtubules serve as tracks for vesicular traffic in both phagosome formation and phagosome maturation. In the process of phagosome formation, endomembrane vesicles are delivered to the membrane of the forming phagosomes to supply membrane. This localized endomembrane delivery, referred to as focal exocytosis, facilitates pseudopod extension for the purpose of engulfing large particles. The microtubule-based transport system is the most likely candidate for such targeted vesicle trafficking to the forming phagosomes. During their maturation process, phagosomes interact with early and late endosomes and finally fuse with lysosomes. Although phagosomal membrane fusion with other membranous compartments does not require microtubules, bi-directional transport and positioning of the two organelles on microtubules are necessary for their close positioning and subsequent membrane fusion. Microtubules are also responsible for vesicle trafficking along the antigen presentation pathway for phagocytosed materials. Some classes of myosin are involved in diverse processes of Fc gamma receptor (FcgR)-mediated phagocytosis as force generators and actin-based transport motors. The role of myosin II in phagocytic cup squeezing is complementary to the classical zipper closure model. Myosin Ic and myosin X seem to be key players in extending and closing phagocytic-cup pseudopod. Other classes of myosin may also be involved in phagosomal movement. Myosin V may control short-range phagosome movement and relay phagosomes to the long-range linear transport system using microtubules.

Keywords
Microtubules
Myosins
Membrane trafficking
Actin
Cytoskeleton
Phagosomes
Phagocytosis
Fc gamma receptor
Macrophages
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