Line tension at lipid phase boundaries regulates formation of membrane vesicles in living cells

Ternary lipid compositions in model membranes segregate into large-scale liquid-ordered (Lo) and liquid-disordered (Ld) phases. Here, we show μm-sized lipid domain separation leading to vesicle formation in unperturbed human HaCaT keratinocytes. Budding vesicles in the apical portion of the plasma membrane were predominantly labelled with Ld markers 1,1′-dioctadecyl-3,3,3′,3′-tetramethylindocarbocyanine perchlorate, 1,1′-dilinoleyl-3,3,3′,3′-tetramethylindocarbocyanine perchlorate, 1,1′-didodecyl-3,3,3′,3′-tetramethylindocarbocyanine perchlorate and weakly stained by Lo marker fluorescein-labeled cholera toxin B subunit which labels ganglioside GM1 enriched plasma membrane rafts. Cholesterol depletion with methyl-β-cyclodextrin enhanced DiI vesiculation, GM1/DiI domain separation and was accompanied by a detachment of the subcortical cytoskeleton from the plasma membrane. Based on these observations we describe the energetic requirements for plasma membrane vesiculation. We propose that the decrease in total ‘Lo/Ld’ boundary line tension arising from the coalescence of smaller Ld-like domains makes it energetically favourable for Ld-like domains to bend from flat μm-sized surfaces to cap-like budding vesicles. Thus living cells may utilize membrane line tension energies as a control mechanism of exocytic events.