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Mechanosensitivity of cell membranes: role of liquid crystalline lipid matrix

Physical and biophysical mechanisms of mechanosensitivity of cell membranes are reviewed, including: elasticity and flexoelectricity of cell membrane complex, pore formation in the lipid matrix, capacitance and conductance variations, mechanosensitive ion carriers and ion channels. The possible active role of the liquid crystalline lipid matrix in the mechanoreception is underlined. The review goes on to the patch clamp technique as a tool for mechanosensitivity studies. The techniques for generation of static strains and dynamic curvature variations of membrane patches are considered. A unified model for description of both stress-activated and stress4nactivated ion channels under static strains is described. Stress sensitive pores in lipid-peptide model membranes are demonstrated as well. Particular point is made about flexoelectric phenomenon as a mechanism of direct conversion of mechanical stimuli into electric signals, e.g. in hearing. Studies of flexoelectricity of model lipid membranes, lipidpeptide membranes and biomembranes containing ion channels are reviewed. Finally, future applications of liquid crystal principles to mechanotransduction in living cell membranes are outlined. Key words: Mechanosensitivity - Mechanotransduction - Cell membrane complex - Ion channels Stress sensitivity modelling - Lipid matrix - Cytoskeleton - Mechano-electric phenomena - Flexoelectricity - Model membranes Mechanosensors