July 26, 2019

On the Cover
Cells forming bubbles. On the right, two cells (greenish yellow) are in the process of forming bubbles, or plasma membrane vesicles (PMVs). During the blebbing process, a cell’s membrane temporarily disassociates from its underlying cytoskeleton, forming a tiny pouch that, over the course of about 30 minutes, is “inflated” with a mix of proteins and lipids from inside the cell. After the PMVs are fully filled, these bubble-like structures are pinched off and released like those seen in the background.
Photo: Chi Zhao, David Busch, Connor Vershel & Jeanne Stachowiak, University of Texas at Austin