Biomechanical Contribution of Cytoskeletal Structures to Traction Forces in Cultured Smooth Muscle Cells
Cellular traction forces were measured by using a microfabricated substrate, particularly exploring how cytoskeletal structures such as actin filaments and microtubules contribute to traction forces. Smooth muscle cells isolated from bovine aortas were cultured and transfected with fluorescence prot...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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The Japan Society of Mechanical Engineers
2010-04-01
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| Series: | Journal of Biomechanical Science and Engineering |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/jbse/5/3/5_3_262/_pdf/-char/en |
| _version_ | 1818521848224153600 |
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| author | Toshiro OHASHI Norifumi KAMEDA Shouji NAKAMURA Masaaki SATO |
| author_facet | Toshiro OHASHI Norifumi KAMEDA Shouji NAKAMURA Masaaki SATO |
| author_sort | Toshiro OHASHI |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Cellular traction forces were measured by using a microfabricated substrate, particularly exploring how cytoskeletal structures such as actin filaments and microtubules contribute to traction forces. Smooth muscle cells isolated from bovine aortas were cultured and transfected with fluorescence proteins to visualize cell microstructures and then plated on a micropatterned elastomer substrate with arrays of micropillars. Cell spreading on the substrates produced deflection of micropillars which was used for estimation of cellular traction forces, and was closely associated with organization of stress fibers of actin filaments. Traction forces varied considerably among cells, showing the order of several 10 nN. After disruption of microtubules with nocodazole, traction forces significantly increased and there was no detectable change in formation of stress fibers. To inhibit the ROCK pathway, a signaling pathway of myosin light chain phosphorylation, possibly being induced by disruption of microtubules, significantly depressed the increase in traction forces after the disruption of microtubules. This result indicates that microtubules disassembly may regulate the actomyosin-based contractile system mainly through the ROCK pathway. The present study suggests that formation of stress fibers are mainly involved in cellular traction forces and a contribution of microtubules should include not only a force balance but also rather a modulator of the actomyosin contractile system in actin stress fibers. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-11T01:56:49Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-9174a0ee18624d88ba058020c1dfda5a |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1880-9863 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-11T01:56:49Z |
| publishDate | 2010-04-01 |
| publisher | The Japan Society of Mechanical Engineers |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Biomechanical Science and Engineering |
| spelling | doaj.art-9174a0ee18624d88ba058020c1dfda5a2022-12-22T01:24:36ZengThe Japan Society of Mechanical EngineersJournal of Biomechanical Science and Engineering1880-98632010-04-015326227110.1299/jbse.5.262jbseBiomechanical Contribution of Cytoskeletal Structures to Traction Forces in Cultured Smooth Muscle CellsToshiro OHASHI0Norifumi KAMEDA1Shouji NAKAMURA2Masaaki SATO3Department of Bioengineering and Robotics, Graduate School of Engineering, Tohoku UniversityDepartment of Bioengineering and Robotics, Graduate School of Engineering, Tohoku UniversityDepartment of Bioengineering and Robotics, Graduate School of Engineering, Tohoku UniversityDepartment of Bioengineering and Robotics, Graduate School of Engineering/Department of Biomedical Engineering, Graduate School of Biomedical Engineering, Tohoku UniversityCellular traction forces were measured by using a microfabricated substrate, particularly exploring how cytoskeletal structures such as actin filaments and microtubules contribute to traction forces. Smooth muscle cells isolated from bovine aortas were cultured and transfected with fluorescence proteins to visualize cell microstructures and then plated on a micropatterned elastomer substrate with arrays of micropillars. Cell spreading on the substrates produced deflection of micropillars which was used for estimation of cellular traction forces, and was closely associated with organization of stress fibers of actin filaments. Traction forces varied considerably among cells, showing the order of several 10 nN. After disruption of microtubules with nocodazole, traction forces significantly increased and there was no detectable change in formation of stress fibers. To inhibit the ROCK pathway, a signaling pathway of myosin light chain phosphorylation, possibly being induced by disruption of microtubules, significantly depressed the increase in traction forces after the disruption of microtubules. This result indicates that microtubules disassembly may regulate the actomyosin-based contractile system mainly through the ROCK pathway. The present study suggests that formation of stress fibers are mainly involved in cellular traction forces and a contribution of microtubules should include not only a force balance but also rather a modulator of the actomyosin contractile system in actin stress fibers.https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/jbse/5/3/5_3_262/_pdf/-char/entraction forcesstress fibersmicrotubulesactomyosin force generationintracellular stress balance |
| spellingShingle | Toshiro OHASHI Norifumi KAMEDA Shouji NAKAMURA Masaaki SATO Biomechanical Contribution of Cytoskeletal Structures to Traction Forces in Cultured Smooth Muscle Cells Journal of Biomechanical Science and Engineering traction forces stress fibers microtubules actomyosin force generation intracellular stress balance |
| title | Biomechanical Contribution of Cytoskeletal Structures to Traction Forces in Cultured Smooth Muscle Cells |
| title_full | Biomechanical Contribution of Cytoskeletal Structures to Traction Forces in Cultured Smooth Muscle Cells |
| title_fullStr | Biomechanical Contribution of Cytoskeletal Structures to Traction Forces in Cultured Smooth Muscle Cells |
| title_full_unstemmed | Biomechanical Contribution of Cytoskeletal Structures to Traction Forces in Cultured Smooth Muscle Cells |
| title_short | Biomechanical Contribution of Cytoskeletal Structures to Traction Forces in Cultured Smooth Muscle Cells |
| title_sort | biomechanical contribution of cytoskeletal structures to traction forces in cultured smooth muscle cells |
| topic | traction forces stress fibers microtubules actomyosin force generation intracellular stress balance |
| url | https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/jbse/5/3/5_3_262/_pdf/-char/en |
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