Skip to main content
. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2017 Nov 1.
Published in final edited form as: Prog Retin Eye Res. 2016 Jun 1;55:52–81. doi: 10.1016/j.preteyeres.2016.05.003

Figure 7. General mechanisms for the generation of membrane curvature.

Figure 7

Cells actively control membrane curvature using a variety of mechanisms. Although membrane lipid (A, B) and protein (C–F) composition can each contribute to curvature generation, the bulk of the energy required for shaping high curvature membranes is provided by specialized curvature-generating proteins. Mechanisms that contribute to membrane curvature generation include, A) phospholipid headgroup composition, B) phospholipid acyl chain composition, C) protein scaffolding, D) amphipathic helix insertion, E) hydrophobic loop insertion, F) conically-shaped transmembrane proteins.