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Microvillus

Microvilli are thin, finger-like protrusions of the plasma membrane found on the surface of many cell types, particularly epithelial cells, where they are supported by parallel bundles of 10–30 actin filaments and serve to dramatically increase the cell's surface area for processes such as absorption, secretion, and sensory detection.^[1]^[2] Typically measuring 50–550 nm in diameter and 100 nm to several micrometers in length, these structures are enriched with actin-binding proteins like fascin, villin, and espin, as well as transmembrane proteins and lipids such as sphingomyelin that facilitate their formation and stability.^[1]^[3] In epithelial tissues, microvilli often form dense arrays known as the brush border, most prominently on the apical surface of enterocytes in the small intestine, where approximately 2,000 microvilli per cell enhance nutrient uptake by expanding the absorptive area up to 600-fold.^[4]^[3] Their core actin bundles are cross-linked by proteins such as plastin and fimbrin, anchored basally to a terminal web of actin and myosin filaments, and coated externally with a glycocalyx that aids in enzymatic digestion and protection.^[3] Beyond absorption, microvilli contribute to mechanotransduction, ion transport, and vesicle trafficking, as seen in renal epithelial cells where they support filtration and reabsorption in the proximal tubule.^[3]^[4] Microvilli exhibit remarkable diversity across cell types, adapting their size, number, and arrangement to specialized functions; for instance, in sensory cells like cochlear hair cells, they form stereocilia—elongated variants up to 120 μm long—that detect mechanical stimuli essential for hearing.^[3] In immune cells such as T lymphocytes and dendritic cells, dynamic microvilli enable rapid scanning of antigen-presenting surfaces and facilitate signaling through clustered receptors like the T-cell receptor (TCR).^[1] This versatility underscores their role in maintaining physiological homeostasis, with disruptions linked to disorders like microvillus inclusion disease, which impairs intestinal absorption.^[4]

Anatomy and Structure

Morphology

Microvilli are microscopic, finger-like protrusions of the plasma membrane that extend from the apical surface of epithelial cells, dramatically increasing the cell's surface area for absorption and secretion while minimally expanding its overall volume. These structures typically measure approximately 0.1 micrometers in diameter and 1-2 micrometers in length, allowing them to form compact, organized arrays.^[5] In certain epithelial cells, such as intestinal enterocytes, microvilli are densely packed, often numbering up to 3,000 per cell to create a brush border that enhances functional efficiency.^[4] At the core of each microvillus lies a rigid bundle of 20-30 parallel actin filaments, which provides structural support and maintains the protrusion's shape.^[6] These filaments are tightly cross-linked by proteins such as fimbrin and villin, forming a paracrystalline array that ensures stability and uniform orientation.^[6] The actin core is enveloped by the plasma membrane, with associated proteins linking it to the lipid bilayer along its length. The base of the microvillus core tapers gradually, transitioning into actin rootlets that extend into the cytoplasm and anchor to the underlying terminal web—a dense network of actin and intermediate filaments.^[7] This anchoring mechanism secures the microvilli against mechanical stresses and maintains their precise alignment in the array.

Molecular Composition

The plasma membrane enveloping microvilli is a specialized lipid bilayer enriched with hydrolytic enzymes and transport proteins that facilitate interactions with the extracellular environment. Key enzymes include alkaline phosphatase, which dephosphorylates substrates, and disaccharidases such as sucrase-isomaltase and maltase-glucoamylase, which break down carbohydrates.^[8] Additionally, nutrient transporters like those for glucose (e.g., SGLT1) and amino acids are embedded, enabling selective uptake across the membrane.^[9] The structural core of microvilli consists of parallel bundles of filamentous actin (F-actin), forming a rigid scaffold that extends from the apical cytoplasm to the tip. These actin filaments are densely cross-linked by bundling proteins, including fimbrin (also known as plastin-1), which promotes tight packing and plasticity; villin, which both bundles filaments and severs them in response to calcium; and espin, which enhances filament elongation and stability.^[10]^[6]^[11] Specialized proteins localize to the tip and base of microvilli to maintain membrane integrity and linkage. At the distal tip, myosin-1a, a non-processive motor protein, associates with the plasma membrane to generate tension and support vesicle formation.^[12] Near the base, ezrin, radixin, and moesin (ERM proteins) form cross-bridges between the actin core and the membrane, anchoring the structure and regulating its dynamics through phosphorylation.^[13] The microvillar membrane also incorporates specific lipids, such as cholesterol, which partitions into lipid rafts to modulate fluidity and protein clustering, alongside glycoproteins that contribute to the glycocalyx for selective permeability and protection.^[14] Core components of microvilli, including F-actin and associated bundlers like fimbrin and espin, exhibit evolutionary conservation across metazoans, with homologs present in sponges and nematodes, underscoring their ancient role in cellular protrusion formation.^[15]^[16]

Distribution and Locations

In Epithelial Tissues

Microvilli are prominent features of absorptive epithelial tissues, where they form specialized apical projections that enhance the functional surface area of cells involved in transport processes. In the small intestine, enterocytes bear a dense array of microvilli collectively known as the brush border, which lines the luminal surface to facilitate interactions with the intestinal contents.^[17] Similarly, the epithelium of the proximal renal tubules features a brush border of microvilli on the apical surface of tubular cells, supporting the reabsorption of filtered solutes and water from the glomerular filtrate.^[18] In the gallbladder, the simple columnar epithelium also exhibits microvilli on its luminal aspect, adapted to the organ's role in modifying bile composition.^[19] Variations in microvillus density and dimensions reflect tissue-specific demands for surface amplification. Enterocytes in the small intestine typically possess up to 3,000 microvilli per cell, each approximately 1 μm in length, contributing to a substantial increase in apical surface area—up to 600-fold when integrated with other structural folds in the intestinal mucosa.^[20]^[21] In contrast, microvilli on proximal renal tubule cells are shorter, often 1-2 μm in length, and present in lower density, providing a more moderate expansion suited to the tubule's reabsorptive workload.^[22] These actin-based structures enable such adaptations across epithelial contexts.^[23] Beyond absorptive sites, microvilli contribute to barrier functions in protective epithelial layers. In the lung alveoli, type II alveolar epithelial cells display microvilli that aid in surfactant secretion, helping to maintain alveolar stability and prevent fluid accumulation while forming a defensive interface against inhaled particles.^[24] Likewise, in the nasal respiratory epithelium, microvilli on non-ciliated cells, including tuft cells, support mucociliary clearance and secretion, reinforcing the mucosal barrier to trap and expel environmental pathogens and debris. In the gallbladder, the microvilli are notably elongated and abundant, enhancing the epithelium's capacity for water and electrolyte reabsorption to concentrate bile during storage.^[25]

In Specialized Cell Types

Microvilli on the surface of oocytes play a critical role in facilitating sperm binding and interactions with the zona pellucida during fertilization. These protrusions, enriched with proteins such as CD9, concentrate adhesion and fusion molecules to enable sperm-oolemma attachment and subsequent gamete fusion.^[26] The microvillar membrane provides a platform for recognizing sperm receptors, enhancing the efficiency of zona pellucida penetration and acrosome reaction triggering.^[27] In immune cells, microvilli contribute to leukocyte adhesion and migration by presenting integrins and selectins on their tips, which initiate tethering to endothelial surfaces under shear flow.^[28] Specialized structures like the uropod, formed by polarized microvilli, stabilize leukocyte-endothelial interactions and promote transendothelial migration during inflammation.^[29] In dendritic cells, microvilli serve as platforms for antigen presentation, exhibiting high densities of MHC molecules and costimulatory factors that cluster with T cells to form multifocal synapses.^[30] Sensory cells feature modified microvilli adapted for environmental detection. In inner ear hair cells, stereocilia—actin-filled protrusions structurally akin to microvilli—form hair bundles that detect mechanical stimuli for sound and balance transduction, with deflections gating ion channels to generate electrical signals.^[31] These stereocilia, numbering 20 to 300 per cell, are interconnected by tip links essential for mechanosensation.^[32] These microvilli, often alongside cilia, increase surface area for efficient odorant capture.^[33] Beyond these, microvilli appear in other specialized contexts, such as on placental trophoblast cells, where apical microvilli on the syncytiotrophoblast vastly expand the surface area for maternal-fetal nutrient and gas exchange.^[34] Stabilization of these microvilli is vital for maintaining trophoblast fusion and barrier integrity during placental development.^[35]

Cellular Integration

Cytoskeletal Interactions

Microvilli are anchored to the underlying cytoskeleton through actin rootlets that extend from the core bundle of approximately 20-30 parallel actin filaments into the terminal web, a specialized cytoskeletal network in the apical cytoplasm.^[36] These rootlets insert deeply into the terminal web, which is composed of non-erythrocytic spectrin and intermediate filaments such as cytokeratins, providing a stable foundation that organizes the microvilli in a hexagonal array.^[37] Myosin II contributes to this anchoring by forming contractile elements within the terminal web, enhancing the structural integrity against mechanical stresses encountered in dynamic environments like the intestinal lumen.^[38] The plasma membrane of microvilli is bridged to the actin core bundle primarily by members of the ezrin-radixin-moesin (ERM) protein family, which act as cross-linkers between integral membrane proteins and F-actin.^[5] Ezrin, the most prominent ERM protein in epithelial microvilli, binds to the cytoplasmic tails of adhesion molecules like CD44 or EBP50 and simultaneously interacts with the actin filaments via its C-terminal F-actin binding domain, ensuring tight membrane attachment and preventing detachment under tension.^[39] Radixin and moesin perform similar bridging functions in various epithelial contexts, with their activity regulated by phosphorylation to maintain conformational openness for effective linking.^[40] The terminal web serves as a supportive scaffold enriched with intermediate filaments and myosin II filaments that circumscribe the rootlets, offering resistance to lateral shear forces that could otherwise dislodge microvilli during peristaltic movements or fluid flow.^[37] This structure, cross-linked by proteins like plastin 1, integrates the microvillar cores into a cohesive apical domain, distributing mechanical loads across the epithelial layer for enhanced durability.^[38] Spectrin tetramers further reinforce the web by forming a hexagonal lattice that stabilizes the positioning of rootlets.^[36] Microvillar cytoskeletal interactions contribute to epithelial cell polarity by delineating the apical domain through ERM-mediated recruitment of the Par protein complex.^[37] Ezrin activation by the upstream Lkb1/Strad/Mo25 polarity complex promotes the apical localization of Cdc42 guanine nucleotide exchange factors, which in turn activate the Par6-aPKC module to restrict microvilli formation to the apical surface and exclude basolateral markers.^[39] This coordination ensures asymmetric distribution of membrane components, with disruptions in ERM function leading to loss of apical-basal segregation.^[5] The parallel actin filaments in the microvillar core, bundled by cross-linking proteins such as fimbrin and villin, confer rigidity to withstand bending forces, while associated myosin motors like myosin-1a generate sliding forces along the actin tracks to maintain membrane tension and enable subtle length modulations in response to cellular needs.^[37] Nonmuscle myosin II further supports these properties by regulating actin dynamics at the base, allowing adjustments in protrusion length without compromising overall stability.^[41]

Biogenesis and Dynamics

The biogenesis of microvilli begins with the nucleation of actin filaments at the plasma membrane, primarily driven by the actin nucleator cordon-bleu (COBL), which generates short filaments using its three WH2 domains in a calcium- and calmodulin-dependent manner.^[4] This process occurs near the apical surface in epithelial cells, where COBL localizes to initiate assembly, with the Arp2/3 complex playing a limited role in early cortical actin networks that indirectly support bundle formation by allocating actin resources.^[42] Elongation follows through continued actin polymerization at the barbed ends, facilitated by proteins such as EPS8 and BAIAP2L1 (also known as IRTKS), which cap and stabilize the growing filaments at distal tips.^[4] Formins contribute to linear bundle extension in some contexts, though their precise involvement remains under investigation due to off-target effects of inhibitors.^[43] Key regulators of this assembly include the Rho GTPase Cdc42, which coordinates epithelial polarity and differentiation to enable proper microvillus initiation and organization in the intestinal brush border.^[44] Cdc42 activates downstream effectors like N-WASP, which in turn stimulates the Arp2/3 complex to promote actin nucleation, linking signaling to protrusion formation, although in mature bundles, linear polymerization predominates over branching.^[45] Recent 2025 research demonstrates that Cdc42 defects disrupt microvillus number, length, and spatial organization during T cell maturation, highlighting its conserved role in dynamic assembly across cell types.^[46] Maturation of microvilli involves cross-linking of actin filaments into parallel bundles by proteins such as villin (VIL1), fimbrin (PLS1), and espin (ESPN), which ensure uniform polarity with barbed ends oriented toward the tip, while MISP stabilizes the rootlet end.^[4] Membrane addition occurs through vesicle fusion at the tips, supporting elongation and maintaining lipid composition, with myosin-1a (Myo1a) forming part of the tip complex to drive growth and power membrane sliding along the actin core.^[47] Profilin-1 facilitates this by allocating G-actin to elongating sites, particularly when Arp2/3 activity is modulated.^[42] Microvillar dynamics are characterized by actin treadmilling, where polymerization at the barbed (tip) end drives protrusion and motility at rates of approximately 0.18 μm/min, balanced by depolymerization at the pointed (basal) end.^[48] In intestinal epithelial cells, this results in robust turnover, with photobleaching studies showing complete actin core renewal within minutes to hours, enabling adaptation to surface remodeling.^[48] Non-muscle myosin-2C further regulates length by controlling actin disassembly at the base.^[41] Evolutionary origins trace microvilli to filopodia-like structures in the last common ancestor of filozoans (Filasterea and Choanozoa), with a key innovation of inter-microvillar adhesions and collar complexes emerging in choanozoans around 800 million years ago.^[16] A 2024 bioinformatic reconstitution across 105 Amorphea species genomes revealed stepwise conservation of core proteins like actin and bundlers, underscoring an ancient metazoan role in feeding via bacterial capture in choanoflagellate collars and nutrient absorption in epithelia.^[16]

Functions

Absorption and Secretion

Microvilli play a crucial role in absorption and secretion by amplifying the apical surface area of epithelial cells, thereby enhancing the efficiency of nutrient uptake, enzymatic digestion, and material exchange across the plasma membrane. In the small intestine, the dense array of microvilli forming the brush border increases the absorptive surface area by approximately 20- to 30-fold compared to a flat epithelial surface, facilitating rapid diffusion and active transport of solutes such as glucose and amino acids.^[10] This amplification is essential for optimizing nutrient absorption in the intestinal lumen, where microvilli provide a platform for embedded transport proteins and enzymes.^[23] Enzymatic functions are integral to microvillar absorption, with membrane-bound hydrolases positioned on the microvillar surface to break down complex macromolecules into absorbable forms. For instance, sucrase-isomaltase, a key α-glucosidase, hydrolyzes disaccharides and oligosaccharides into monosaccharides directly at the brush border, enabling efficient carbohydrate absorption in enterocytes.^[49] Similarly, aminopeptidases such as aminopeptidase N degrade peptides into free amino acids, supporting protein digestion and uptake.^[9] These enzymes are deployed via vesicle shedding from microvilli, which releases catalytically active membrane fragments into the lumen, further aiding luminal digestion.^[9] Transporter proteins embedded in microvillar membranes drive active absorption, particularly in intestinal and renal epithelia. The sodium-glucose cotransporter SGLT1, localized to the apical plasma membrane including the brush border microvilli, facilitates secondary active transport of glucose and galactose coupled with sodium ions, accounting for the majority of intestinal glucose uptake.^[50] In the kidney, SGLT1 is restricted to the apical membrane of the late proximal tubule (S3 segment), reabsorbing residual filtered glucose to prevent urinary loss.^[51] Ion channels and other transporters in these microvilli further support electrolyte balance and osmotic gradients essential for absorption.^[52] In secretory contexts, microvilli contribute to the concentration and release of fluids and enzymes. In the gallbladder epithelium, apical microvilli express aquaporins AQP1 and AQP8, which mediate trans-epithelial water reabsorption driven by osmotic gradients from active salt transport, thereby concentrating bile up to 10-fold during storage.^[53] In salivary glands, luminal microvilli on ductal epithelial cells enhance the modification of saliva, including secretion of enzymes such as lysozyme from intercalated ducts, increasing the surface area for ion and fluid exchange to produce isotonic salivary flow.^[54] Microvilli also support endocytic activity, with clathrin-coated pits forming at their bases to enable receptor-mediated uptake of ligands and membrane recycling. Recent studies demonstrate that these apical pits, often located between microvilli, regulate the scale and dynamics of microvillar protrusions while facilitating selective endocytosis, ensuring controlled material internalization in absorptive epithelia.^[55]

Sensory and Signaling Roles

Microvilli play crucial roles in cellular mechanosensation, particularly in the inner ear where stereocilia—specialized actin-filled microvilli on hair cells—facilitate the detection of sound vibrations. Deflection of the stereocilia bundle toward its taller edge generates tension in tip links, extracellular filaments composed of cadherin-23 and protocadherin-15 that connect adjacent stereocilia, which in turn pull on mechanotransduction channels at their lower ends to open them and initiate ion influx.^[56] This gating spring model, where tip links act as elastic elements transmitting mechanical force, enables rapid conversion of mechanical stimuli into electrical signals essential for auditory transduction.^[57] Although tip links were initially proposed as the gating springs themselves, structural studies suggest they primarily convey force to associated molecular components for channel gating.^[58] In chemosensation, microvilli on vomeronasal sensory neurons in the accessory olfactory system express G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) such as V1Rs and V2Rs, which bind pheromones to trigger intracellular signaling cascades. These receptors, concentrated in the microvillar membrane, activate heterotrimeric G-proteins like Gαi2 or Gαo upon ligand binding, leading to dissociation of Gα and Gβγ subunits that modulate effectors such as phospholipase C and adenylyl cyclase for signal amplification.^[59] The microvilli provide an expanded surface for high-density receptor clustering, enhancing sensitivity to low-concentration pheromonal cues that influence reproductive and social behaviors.^[60] This GPCR-mediated pathway exemplifies microvilli's role in transducing chemical signals into neuronal responses. Microvilli on T cells are integral to immune signaling by facilitating immunological synapse formation with antigen-presenting cells (APCs). During activation, T cell microvilli, enriched in T cell receptors (TCRs) and adhesion molecules, extend to probe APC surfaces, enabling initial antigen recognition and stabilizing contacts that mature into a central supramolecular activation cluster (cSMAC) for sustained signaling.^[61] Recent findings indicate that these microvilli actively contribute to intercellular communication through vesiculation, where Cdc42-regulated microvilli shed membrane particles carrying TCRs and costimulatory molecules like CD28, which deposit onto APCs to modulate immune responses.^[46] This process extends beyond passive sensing, promoting antigen-specific T cell-APC interactions and potential regulatory feedback.^[62] In leukocyte adhesion and activation during inflammation, microvilli project integrins such as LFA-1 (αLβ2) and Mac-1 (αMβ2) to mediate binding to endothelial counter-receptors like ICAM-1. Initial selectin-mediated rolling triggers microvillar extension and integrin activation via inside-out signaling from chemokine receptors, increasing integrin affinity for firm arrest on the endothelium.^[28] Shear forces and chemokine gradients further stabilize these interactions by promoting microvillar retraction and cytoskeletal remodeling, facilitating transendothelial migration.^[63] This dynamic presentation of integrins on microvilli ensures efficient leukocyte recruitment to inflammatory sites. The glycocalyx, a carbohydrate-rich coat on microvilli tips composed of glycoproteins, glycolipids, and proteoglycans like syndecans and glypicans, enhances ligand binding specificity and provides mechanical protection. In signaling contexts, such as on T cell microvilli, the glycocalyx modulates receptor-ligand interactions by presenting sialylated glycans that influence integrin and TCR engagement with endothelial or APC surfaces, while shielding against shear stress and enzymatic degradation.^[64] This layer's negatively charged sialic acids also regulate electrostatic repulsion, optimizing close-range adhesion during immune activation.^[13] In sensory microvilli, the glycocalyx similarly protects against environmental insults while facilitating odorant or mechanosensory ligand access to underlying receptors.^[65]

Clinical Significance

Pathological Conditions

Microvillus inclusion disease (MVID) is a rare autosomal recessive genetic disorder primarily caused by biallelic mutations in the MYO5B gene, which encodes myosin Vb, a motor protein essential for the trafficking of apical cargo in epithelial cells. These mutations result in a loss of myosin Vb function, leading to the accumulation of microvilli as intracellular inclusions rather than their proper apical localization on the plasma membrane of enterocytes in the small intestine.^[66] Affected infants typically present within the first days of life with severe, intractable watery diarrhea, profound dehydration, electrolyte imbalances, and malabsorption of nutrients, often necessitating immediate parenteral nutrition.^[67] Without lifelong total parenteral nutrition, the condition is fatal due to complications such as liver failure, sepsis, and growth failure, with prognosis remaining poor even with supportive care.^[68] Infectious agents can also induce pathological destruction of microvilli through targeted disruption of the actin cytoskeleton. Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC), a common cause of diarrheal disease in children, employs a type III secretion system to inject effector proteins like Tir and EspF into host enterocytes, which reorganize actin dynamics and cause effacement of the brush border microvilli.^[69] This effacement prevents normal absorption, promotes bacterial adherence via actin pedestal formation, and contributes to watery diarrhea and mucosal inflammation during infection.^[70] Unlike genetic defects, EPEC-induced microvillus damage is typically reversible with antibiotic treatment and supportive therapy, allowing restoration of epithelial integrity.^[71] Renal disorders involving microvillus abnormalities often manifest as proximal tubule dysfunction, impairing solute reabsorption. In Dent's disease, an X-linked condition caused by mutations in the CLCN5 gene encoding the ClC-5 chloride channel, defective endosomal trafficking leads to impaired megalin- and cubilin-mediated endocytosis in the proximal tubule brush border, effectively reducing microvillus-dependent reabsorption of low-molecular-weight proteins, calcium, and phosphate.^[72] This results in low-molecular-weight proteinuria, hypercalciuria, nephrocalcinosis, and progressive renal failure. Fanconi syndrome, which can occur secondarily in some MVID patients or as a standalone proximal tubulopathy, involves generalized loss of apical microvilli in renal tubular cells, disrupting the reabsorptive capacity for glucose, amino acids, phosphate, and bicarbonate, leading to metabolic acidosis, hypophosphatemic rickets, and polyuria.^[73]^[74] Overlaps with ciliopathies highlight additional pathological contexts for microvillus mislocalization, where defects in intraflagellar transport proteins prevent proper apical domain organization in epithelial tissues.^[75] In the immune system, leukocyte microvillus defects contribute to primary immunodeficiencies; for instance, Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome, resulting from WAS gene mutations and absence of WASP protein, causes loss of surface microvilli on T cells and platelets, impairing cell migration, adhesion, and immune surveillance, which manifests as recurrent infections, eczema, and thrombocytopenia.^[76]

Diagnostic and Research Advances

Diagnostic techniques for microvillus-related disorders, such as microvillus inclusion disease (MVID), primarily rely on electron microscopy to visualize characteristic intracytoplasmic inclusions and apical microvillus abnormalities in intestinal biopsies. Transmission electron microscopy reveals pathognomonic features like shortened or absent apical microvilli and microvillus inclusions within mature enterocytes, confirming the diagnosis when combined with clinical symptoms. Immunofluorescence staining for phosphorylated ezrin-radixin-moesin (pERM) proteins and actin further aids in identifying disrupted apical cytoskeletal organization, showing loss of apical pERM localization in affected enterocytes. These techniques are essential for distinguishing MVID from other congenital diarrheal disorders. Genetic testing through targeted sequencing of genes like MYO5B and STX3 has become a cornerstone for confirming MVID diagnoses, particularly in cases with atypical presentations. Biallelic mutations in MYO5B, encoding myosin Vb, account for the majority of classic MVID cases, while STX3 variants cause a variant form with similar enterocyte defects. Sequencing these genes identifies truncating or missense mutations that disrupt apical trafficking and polarity, enabling prenatal or early postnatal diagnosis via next-generation sequencing panels for congenital diarrheas. Recent research advances have illuminated the evolutionary origins of microvilli through bioinformatic analyses and in vitro reconstitution efforts. A 2024 study surveyed the conservation of microvillar protein genes across eukaryotes, proposing that microvilli evolved from filopodia-like structures in unicellular ancestors via stepwise protein assembly, with in vitro models demonstrating reconstitution of core actin-based bundles using conserved components like myosin V and ERM proteins.^[16] In 2025, investigations into Cdc42's role revealed its essential function in organizing microvilli during T cell maturation, where Cdc42 defects reduce microvilli density, impairing antigen recognition and T cell adhesion in immune synapses, thus highlighting microvilli's role in immune communication.^[46] Therapeutic developments for MVID include preclinical advances in gene therapy, such as oral mRNA delivery systems designed to restore MYO5B function in intestinal organoids derived from patient cells. These approaches aim to correct apical trafficking defects by expressing wild-type myosin Vb, showing improved microvillus formation and ion transport in vitro, with ongoing efforts toward clinical translation.^[77] Supportive interventions like probiotics have been explored to mitigate secondary bacterial overgrowth and line infections in MVID patients reliant on parenteral nutrition, by enhancing gut microbiota balance and reducing pathogen adhesion to damaged epithelia. Imaging innovations, particularly super-resolution microscopy, have enabled real-time tracking of microvilli dynamics in live cells. Techniques like structured illumination microscopy combined with photoswitchable probes visualize actin treadmilling and ERM phosphorylation in forming microvilli at nanometer resolution, revealing motility patterns and clustering during epithelial differentiation. Recent applications in immune cells have used super-resolution to map protein distribution on microvilli surfaces, such as CD81 clustering, providing insights into signaling during live-cell interactions.

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Jun 5, 2022 · ... nutrient exchange as well as endocrine and metabolic activity [23, 73]. Microvilli at the apical side of the syncytiotrophoblast enlarge the ...
[36]
Placental cytotrophoblast microvillar stabilization is required for cell ...
The placenta is an embryonically derived organ of pregnancy that carries out crucial functions such as maternal-fetal nutrient exchange, hormone production, and ...
[37]
Contributions of suboolemmal acidic vesicles and microvilli to the ...
The tip of the microvilli may assist in recognizing the sperm by means of cognate receptors,. Hence, the actin filaments in the microvilli and in the ...
[38]
Molecular Model of the Microvillar Cytoskeleton and Organization of ...
Feb 24, 2010 · Here, we present a molecular model of the protein cytoskeleton responsible for this dramatic cellular morphology.Missing: rootlets | Show results with:rootlets
[39]
Shaping the intestinal brush border | Journal of Cell Biology
Nov 24, 2014 · Direct measurement of actin polymerization rate constants by electron microscopy of actin filaments nucleated by isolated microvillus cores .<|control11|><|separator|>
[40]
The actin nucleator Cobl organises the terminal web of enterocytes
Jul 7, 2020 · The actin nucleator Cobl is critically involved in generating one of the cellular structures of the brush border-decorated apical cortex of enterocytes.
[41]
Ezrin-mediated apical integrity is required for intestinal homeostasis
Jul 5, 2011 · The ERM proteins (ERMs) can assemble multiprotein complexes at the membrane–cytoskeleton interface and play a key role in organizing the apical ...
[42]
Structure of the ERM Protein Moesin Reveals the FERM Domain ...
The ezrin-radixin-moesin (ERM) protein family link actin filaments of cell surface structures to the plasma membrane, using a C-terminal F-actin binding ...Missing: rootlets | Show results with:rootlets
[43]
Nonmuscle myosin-2 contractility-dependent actin turnover limits the ...
We found that NM2C controls the length of growing microvilli by regulating actin turnover in a manner that requires a fully active motor domain.
[44]
Profilin-Mediated Actin Allocation Regulates the Growth of Epithelial ...
Oct 21, 2019 · Profilin-1 is required for normal brush border assembly. Acceleration of microvilli growth upon inhibition of Arp2/3 requires profilin-1.Results · Arp2/3 Inhibition Increases... · Arp2/3 Inhibition...Missing: biogenesis | Show results with:biogenesis
[45]
https://www.cell.com/fulltext/S0092-8674(00)80732-1
[46]
Cdc42 Coordinates Proliferation, Polarity, Migration, and ...
Cdc42 regulates proliferation, polarity, migration, and differentiation of intestinal epithelial cells in mice and maintains intestine epithelial barrier and ...
[47]
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3339983/
[48]
Cdc42 defect reveals insights into microvilli organization ... - PNAS
Jul 25, 2025 · In this study, we show that Cdc42 is involved in controlling microvilli formation during the transition from the DP to SP stage, thereby ...
[49]
Myosin-1A Targets to Microvilli Using Multiple Membrane Binding ...
Myo1a is an abundant membrane binding motor that targets to microvilli in intestinal epithelial cells.
[50]
Actin dynamics drive microvillar motility and clustering during brush ...
This pattern of turnover indicates that microvillar actin cores treadmill as they translocate across the cell surface with their barbed-ends in the lead.
[51]
Structure-function analysis of human sucrase-isomaltase identifies ...
Sucrase-isomaltase (SI) is an intestinal membrane-associated α-glucosidase that breaks down di- and oligosaccharides to absorbable monosaccharides.
[52]
dependent glucose transporter SGLT1 is localized in the apical ...
SGLT1, an isoform of Na(+)-dependent glucose transporters, is localized at the apical plasma membrane in the epithelial cells of the small intestine and the ...
[53]
Physiology of renal glucose handling via SGLT1, SGLT2 and GLUT2
Aug 22, 2018 · SGLT2 is found in the apical membrane of the S1 and S2 segments of the proximal tubule, while SGLT1 is restricted to the apical membrane of the ...
[54]
SLC5A1 gene: MedlinePlus Genetics
Apr 1, 2020 · The SGLT1 protein is involved in the process of transporting glucose and galactose across the membrane of the intestinal epithelial cells so the ...
[55]
Aquaporins in Biliary Function: Pathophysiological Implications and ...
In the gallbladder, AQP1 and -8 are also involved in trans-epithelial bidirectional water flow with the ultimate goal of bile concentration.
[56]
Overview of Human Salivary Glands: Highlights of Morphology and ...
Feb 13, 2017 · Moreover, various types of columnar epithelial cells present luminal microvilli that may be involved in the sensitivity, reabsorption or ...
[57]
https://www.nature.com/articles/ncomms1533
[58]
A bundle of mechanisms: Inner-ear hair-cell mechanotransduction
An external force that deflects a hair bundle toward its tall end, tensions the tip links, which convey pulling forces to the MGCs, inducing them to open.
[59]
Integrating the biophysical and molecular mechanisms of auditory ...
Nov 1, 2011 · Hair cells of the inner ear transduce vibrations of the basilar membrane into electrical signals by a process known as mechanotransduction.Hearing And Hair Bundles · Channel Activation · Gating Spring
[60]
The Mechanosensory Transduction Machinery in Inner Ear Hair Cells
Tip-links were initially proposed to be gating springs (50, 84), but subsequent data from structural studies and molecular dynamics simulations indicated that ...
[61]
NHERF1 in Microvilli of Vomeronasal Sensory Neurons - PubMed
Vomeronasal chemosensation depends on G protein-coupled receptors (V1R, V2R, and FPR-rs) that operate at remarkably low stimulus concentrations, thus ...
[62]
Go protein-dependent survival of primary accessory olfactory neurons
Thus, in the accessory olfactory system, receptor-coupled G proteins are required for cell survival. ... The Go protein is concentrated both in VNO microvilli ...
[63]
T cell microvilli constitute immunological synaptosomes that carry ...
Sep 7, 2018 · Here we show that antigen-specific T cells deposit membrane particles derived from microvilli onto the surface of cognate antigen-bearing APCs.
[64]
Extracellular vesicles and microvilli in the immune synapse - Frontiers
Microvilli are actin-rich structures present on T lymphocyte surfaces where different receptors and signaling molecules cluster, thus enabling effective signal ...
[65]
Force as a Facilitator of Integrin Conformational Changes during ...
In situ activation of integrins on leukocytes rolling on endothelial targets is rapidly triggered by the binding of specialized chemoattractants, or chemotactic ...
[66]
Antigen discrimination by T cells relies on size-constrained ... - Nature
Mar 23, 2023 · T cells are observed to use microvilli to breach a model glycocalyx barrier, forming numerous small (<0.5 μm diameter) contacts each of which is stabilized by ...
[67]
Glycocalyx - an overview | ScienceDirect Topics
The role of the glycocalyx is usually thought to protect the cells against mechanical and chemical damage (Alberts et al., 2015).
[68]
Myo5b knockout mice as a model of microvillus inclusion disease
Jul 23, 2015 · Myo5b knockout mice show perinatal mortality, diarrhea and the characteristic mislocalization of apical and basolateral plasma membrane markers in enterocytes.
[69]
Microvillus Inclusion Disease - Symptoms, Causes, Treatment | NORD
Most cases of MVID are caused by mutations in Myo5b. However, some patients with MVID with late presentation and milder disease have been reported to have ...Missing: prognosis | Show results with:prognosis
[70]
Microvillus inclusion disease - Orphanet
Due to the severity and precocity of the symptoms, as well as the long-term parenteral nutrition's complications, prognosis for MVID is generally poor. Causes ...
[71]
Dynamics of brush border remodeling induced by enteropathogenic ...
Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC) induces dramatic remodeling of enterocyte brush borders, a process that includes microvillar effacement and actin ...
[72]
The effector repertoire of enteropathogenic E. coli - ScienceDirect.com
Hallmarks of EPEC disease are loss (effacement) of absorptive microvilli, induction of actin-rich pedestals underneath adherent bacteria, rapid watery diarrhoea ...
[73]
Calpain Mediates Epithelial Cell Microvillar Effacement by ... - Frontiers
Nov 7, 2011 · Effacement by the related pathogen enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC) requires the activity of the Ca+2-dependent host protease, calpain, which ...
[74]
Loss of chloride channel ClC-5 impairs endocytosis by defective ...
Loss of chloride channel ClC-5 impairs endocytosis by defective trafficking of megalin and cubilin in kidney proximal tubules.
[75]
MYO5B mutations in patients with microvillus inclusion disease ...
MYO5B mutations in patients with MVID with renal Fanconi syndrome do not correlate with aberrant apical plasma membrane morphology or altered apical recycling ...Missing: impairment | Show results with:impairment
[76]
[PDF] University of Groningen Microvillus Inclusion Disease. Lessons ...
Proximal tubular cells in the kidney contain a microvillus membrane, and loss of apical microvilli has been reported in a child with renal Fanconi syndrome.
[77]
IFT74 variants cause skeletal ciliopathy, motile cilia defects
In contrast to the 10 micron length typical of normal cilia, IFT74 mutant cilia were 0.5–1 microns long and failed to extend beyond the microvilli layer (Fig ...