Endocytosis is an important physiological process during which several dynamic transformations of membranes take place, including curvature variation, recruitment of coat proteins to the membrane, and the lateral rearrangement of membrane-associated proteins and lipids. Together these coordinated transformations lead to detachment of an endocytic vesicle from the plasma membrane. While all of these processes take place at or within the cell surface, whether and how they are regulated by specific mechanical properties of the plasma membrane (i.e. in-plane membrane tension or membrane-to-cortex attachment), or of the underlying actomyosin cortex (i.e. cortical tension and elasticity) remains to be explored.
This project aims to understand how the mechanical properties of a cell and its environment influence membrane curvature during endocytosis. We will employ biophysical and molecular biology methods to elucidate how cell surface mechanics affect protein recruitment and stabilize endocytic structures. Overall, this project will enhance our understanding of membrane remodelling and perhaps shed new light on the unique regulatory roles of the cell surface composite interface. Moreover, these results will be informative for therapeutic approaches based on drug delivery and nanoparticle uptake strategies.