Er Membrane Function
Er Membrane Function - Related Videos
20:21
Use of a Robot for High-throughput Crystallization of Membrane Proteins in Lipidic Mesophases
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Cited by 47 •
2012
Herein is described a robotic approach to high-throughput crystallization of membrane proteins in lipidic mesophases for use in structure determination using macromolecular X-ray crystallography. Three robots capable of handling the viscous and sticky protein-laden mesophase integral to the method are introduced.
22:00
Crystallizing Membrane Proteins for Structure Determination using Lipidic Mesophases
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Cited by 48 •
2010
Herein is described the procedure implemented in the Caffrey Membrane Structural and Functional Biology Group to set up manually crystallization trials of membrane proteins in lipidic mesophases.
10:22
Reconstitution of a Kv Channel into Lipid Membranes for Structural and Functional Studies
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Cited by 11 •
2013
Procedures for complete reconstitution of a prototype voltage-gated potassium channel into lipid membranes are described. The reconstituted channels are suitable for biochemical assays, electrical recordings, ligand screening and electron crystallographic studies. These methods may have general applications to the structural and functional studies of other membrane proteins.
10:27
Lipid-Protein Membrane Structure-Function Characterization using Droplet Interface Bilayers
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2026
An experimental protocol is presented to assemble, electrically stimulate, and analyze gramicidin A-doped droplet interface bilayers. Lipid-protein structure-function relationships are quantified by measuring changes in membrane area, ionic flux, and single-channel conductance, and relating these responses to plasticity-like changes in ionic conduction in a membrane model inspired by electrical synapses.
18:45
Harvesting and Cryo-cooling Crystals of Membrane Proteins Grown in Lipidic Mesophases for Structure Determination by Macromolecular Crystallography
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Cited by 44 •
2012
Herein is described procedures implemented in the Caffrey Membrane Structural and Functional Biology Group to harvest and cryo-cool membrane protein crystals grown in lipidic cubic and sponge phases for use in structure determination using macromolecular X-ray crystallography.
FAQs
Specialized proteins in the ER membrane translocate newly synthesized polypeptides across the membrane into the ER lumen. This positioning allows the lumen to serve as an internal site for processing before cargo leaves the ER. Ribosome anchoring on the rough ER connects protein synthesis with entry into this compartment, helping organize production and subsequent intracellular transport.
Rough ER membrane regions anchor ribosomes and therefore support the production and entry of newly synthesized polypeptides. Smooth ER regions lack these ribosome attachments and are associated with lipid production instead. This structural distinction allows connected ER domains to divide major biosynthetic tasks while maintaining a shared membrane system for intracellular organization.
The ER membrane regulates calcium ion movement, allowing the ER to function as an intracellular calcium store. Controlled release or retention contributes to muscle contraction, secretion, and signaling. Because these activities depend on calcium changes, membrane regulation links the ER directly to coordinated cellular responses rather than limiting its role to synthesis and transport.
After proteins and lipids are properly processed in the ER, the membrane supports vesicle formation to package cargo for transport. Vesicles then move the material toward the Golgi apparatus, where membrane fusion releases and integrates the cargo into the next compartment. This sequence connects ER processing with organized movement through the cell.
Examining ER membrane function helps researchers connect protein entry, processing, and intracellular transport with quality control. Properly processed proteins can proceed to other cellular compartments, whereas disruption of ER organization can contribute to ER stress. This makes the membrane relevant for investigating how cells maintain protein handling and how failures may contribute to disease.
Its calcium-storage role provides a direct connection to muscle contraction and secretion. Changes in calcium movement across the ER membrane can influence these cellular activities, while vesicle formation and fusion support the movement of cellular cargo. Studying these linked functions helps explain how membrane organization coordinates both signaling-dependent responses and intracellular delivery.