Abstract
This study used novel, force-limited nanoscale tension gauges to investigate how force and substrate stiffness guide cellular decision-making during initial cell attachment and spreading on deformable substrates. The well-established dependence of cell traction and spreading on substrate stiffness has been attributed to levels of force exerted on molecular components in focal contacts. The molecular tension gauges used in this study enabled direct estimates of threshold, pico Newton forces that instructed decision-making at different stages of cell attachment, spreading, and adhesion maturation. Results show that the force thresholds controlling adhesion and spreading transitions depend on substrate stiffness. Reported findings agree qualitatively with a proposed model that attributes rigidity-dependent differences in cell spreading to stiffness-dependent rates of competing biochemical processes. Moreover, estimated magnitudes of force thresholds governing transitions in cell attachment and spreading, based on these in situ measurements, were in remarkable agreement with prior less direct measurements.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 929-935 |
| Number of pages | 7 |
| Journal | Integrative Biology (United Kingdom) |
| Volume | 8 |
| Issue number | 9 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Sep 2016 |
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ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Biophysics
- Biochemistry
Cite this
Nanoscale mechanics guides cellular decision making. / Rahil, Zainab; Pedron Haba, Sara; Wang, Xuefeng; Ha, Taekjip; Harley, Brendan A; Leckband, Deborah E.
In: Integrative Biology (United Kingdom), Vol. 8, No. 9, 09.2016, p. 929-935.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Nanoscale mechanics guides cellular decision making
AU - Rahil, Zainab
AU - Pedron Haba, Sara
AU - Wang, Xuefeng
AU - Ha, Taekjip
AU - Harley, Brendan A
AU - Leckband, Deborah E
PY - 2016/9
Y1 - 2016/9
N2 - This study used novel, force-limited nanoscale tension gauges to investigate how force and substrate stiffness guide cellular decision-making during initial cell attachment and spreading on deformable substrates. The well-established dependence of cell traction and spreading on substrate stiffness has been attributed to levels of force exerted on molecular components in focal contacts. The molecular tension gauges used in this study enabled direct estimates of threshold, pico Newton forces that instructed decision-making at different stages of cell attachment, spreading, and adhesion maturation. Results show that the force thresholds controlling adhesion and spreading transitions depend on substrate stiffness. Reported findings agree qualitatively with a proposed model that attributes rigidity-dependent differences in cell spreading to stiffness-dependent rates of competing biochemical processes. Moreover, estimated magnitudes of force thresholds governing transitions in cell attachment and spreading, based on these in situ measurements, were in remarkable agreement with prior less direct measurements.
AB - This study used novel, force-limited nanoscale tension gauges to investigate how force and substrate stiffness guide cellular decision-making during initial cell attachment and spreading on deformable substrates. The well-established dependence of cell traction and spreading on substrate stiffness has been attributed to levels of force exerted on molecular components in focal contacts. The molecular tension gauges used in this study enabled direct estimates of threshold, pico Newton forces that instructed decision-making at different stages of cell attachment, spreading, and adhesion maturation. Results show that the force thresholds controlling adhesion and spreading transitions depend on substrate stiffness. Reported findings agree qualitatively with a proposed model that attributes rigidity-dependent differences in cell spreading to stiffness-dependent rates of competing biochemical processes. Moreover, estimated magnitudes of force thresholds governing transitions in cell attachment and spreading, based on these in situ measurements, were in remarkable agreement with prior less direct measurements.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84987667387&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84987667387&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1039/c6ib00113k
DO - 10.1039/c6ib00113k
M3 - Article
C2 - 27477049
AN - SCOPUS:84987667387
VL - 8
SP - 929
EP - 935
JO - Integrative biology : quantitative biosciences from nano to macro
JF - Integrative biology : quantitative biosciences from nano to macro
SN - 1757-9694
IS - 9
ER -