Journal Article

The Role of the Swollen State in Cell Proliferation

Cohen, Behor Eleazar

2025

Overview

Cell swelling is known to be involved in various stages of the growth of plant cells and microorganisms but in mammalian cells how crucial a swollen state is for determining the fate of the cellular proliferation remains unclear. Recent evidence has increased our understanding of how the loss of the cell surface interactions with the extracellular matrix at early mitosis decreases the membrane tension triggering curvature changes in the plasma membrane and the activation of the sodium/hydrogen (Na +/H +) exchanger (NHE1) that drives osmotic swelling. Such a swollen state is temporary, but it is critical to alter essential membrane biophysical parameters that are required to activate Ca2 + channels and modulate the opening of K + channels involved in setting the membrane potential. A decreased membrane potential across the mitotic cell membrane enhances the clustering of Ras proteins involved in the Ca2 + and cytoskeleton-driven events that lead to cell rounding. Changes in the external mechanical and osmotic forces also have an impact on the lipid composition of the plasma membrane during mitosis. Graphical Abstract

• Publisher: Springer US,Springer Nature B.V
• Subject: Animals / Biochemistry / Biomedical and Life Sciences / Cell activation / Cell division / Cell Membrane - metabolism / Cell membranes / Cell Proliferation / Cell size / Cell surface / Channels / Clustering / Cytoskeleton / Extracellular matrix / Human Physiology / Humans / Life Sciences / Lipid composition / Lipids / Mammalian cells / Membrane potential / Membrane Potentials / Mitosis / Plant cells / Sodium / Sodium-Hydrogen Exchangers - metabolism / Swelling / Topical Review