Biology subjects

Merkler, D.

Publications and source records attributed to Merkler, D..

2 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2018

In vivo function of the lipid raft protein Flotillin 1 during CD8+ T cell-mediated host surveillance

Flotillin-1 (Flot1) is a highly conserved, ubiquitously expressed lipid raft-associated scaffolding protein. Migration of Flot1-deficient neutrophils is impaired due to a decrease in myosin II-mediated contractility. Flot1 also accumulates in the uropod of polarized T cells, suggesting an analogous role in T cell migration. Here, we analyzed morphology and migration of naive and memory WT and Flot1-/- CD8+ T cells in lymphoid and non-lymphoid tissues with intravital two-photon microscopy, as well as their clonal expansion during antiviral immune responses. Flot1-/- CD8+ T cells displayed minor alterations in cell shape and motility parameters in vivo but showed comparable homing to lymphoid organs and infiltration into non-lymphoid tissues. Taken together, Flot1 plays a detectable but unexpectedly minor role for CD8+ T cell behavior under physiological conditions.

immunology↗

bioRxiv2018

Profound functional and molecular diversity of mitochondria revealed by cell type-specific profiling in vivo

Mitochondria vary in morphology and function in different tissues, however little is known about their molecular diversity among cell types. To investigate mitochondrial diversity in vivo, we developed an efficient protocol to isolate cell type-specific mitochondria based on a new MitoTag mouse. We profiled the mitochondrial proteome of three major neural cell types in cerebellum and identified a substantial number of differential mitochondrial markers for these cell types in mice and humans. Based on predictions from these proteomes, we demonstrate that astrocytic mitochondria metabolize long-chain fatty acids more efficiently than neurons. Moreover, we identified Rmdn3 as a major determinant of ER-mitochondria proximity in Purkinje cells. Our novel approach enables exploring mitochondrial diversity on the functional and molecular level in many in vivo contexts.

cell biology↗