During apoptosis, dying cells undergo dynamic morphological changes that ultimately lead to their disassembly into fragments called apoptotic bodies (ApoBDs). Reorganisation of the cytoskeletal structures is key in driving various apoptotic morphologies, including the loss of cell adhesion and membrane bleb formation. However, whether cytoskeletal components are also involved in morphological changes that occur later during apoptosis, such as the recently described generation of thin apoptotic membrane protrusions called apoptopodia and subsequent ApoBD formation, is not well defined. Through monitoring the progression of apoptosis by confocal microscopy, specifically focusing on the apoptopodia formation step, we characterised the presence of F-actin and microtubules in a subset of apoptopodia generated by T cells and monocytes. Interestingly, targeting actin polymerisation and microtubule assembly pharmacologically had no major effect on apoptopodia formation. These data demonstrate apoptopodia as a novel type of membrane protrusion that could be formed in the absence of actin polymerisation and microtubule assembly.

中文翻译：

---

定义细胞骨架成分在凋亡过程中在凋亡小体和凋亡小体形成中的作用。

在凋亡过程中，垂死的细胞会发生动态形态变化，最终导致其分解成称为凋亡小体（ApoBDs）的片段。细胞骨架结构的重组是驱动各种凋亡形态的关键，包括细胞粘附力的丧失和膜泡的形成。然而，尚不清楚细胞骨架成分是否也参与细胞凋亡后期发生的形态变化，例如最近描述的称为凋亡小体的凋亡小膜突出和随后的ApoBD的形成。通过共聚焦显微镜监测凋亡的进程，特别是针对凋亡小体形成步骤，我们表征了由T细胞和单核细胞产生的凋亡小体中F-肌动蛋白和微管的存在。有趣的是 药理学上靶向肌动蛋白聚合和微管组装对凋亡的形成没有重大影响。这些数据表明凋亡小体是一种新型的膜突出，可以在缺乏肌动蛋白聚合和微管组装的情况下形成。