Intracellular forces during guided cell growth on micropatterns using FRET measurement.

ABSTRACT: Interaction of cells with extracellular matrix (ECM) regulates cell shape, differentiation and polarity. This effect has been widely observed in cells grown on substrates with various patterned features, stiffness and surface chemistry. It has been postulated that mechanical confinement of cells by the substrate causes a redistribution of tension in cytoskeletal proteins resulting in cytoskeletal reorganization through force sensitive pathways. However, the mechanisms for force transduction during reorganization remain unclear. In this study, using FRET based force sensors we have measured tension in an actin cross-linking protein, α-actinin, and followed reorganization of actin cytoskeleton in real time in HEK cells grown on patterned substrates. We show that the patterned substrates caus

SUBMITTER: Suffoletto K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4330124 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature