Year: 2012
Type: article
Abstract: Cells interpret their mechanical environment using diverse signaling pathways that affect complex phenotypes. These pathways often interact with ubiquitous 2(nd)-messengers such as calcium. Understanding mechanically-induced calcium signaling is especially important in fibroblasts, cells that exist in three-dimensional fibrous matrices, sense their mechanical environment, and remodel tissue morphology. Here, we examined calcium signaling in fibroblasts using a minimal-profile, three-dimensional (MP3D) mechanical assay system, and compared responses to those elicited by conventional, two-dimensional magnetic tensile cytometry and substratum stretching. Using the MP3D system, we observed robust mechanically-induced calcium responses that could not be recreated using either two-dimensional technique. Furthermore, we used the MP3D system to identify a critical displacement threshold governing an all-or-nothing mechanically-induced calcium response. We believe these findings significantly increase our understanding of the critical role of calcium signaling in cells in three-dimensional environments with broad implications in development and disease.
Source: Scientific Reports
DOI: 10.1038/srep00554
Language: English
Subfield: Cell Biology
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $2,690
Awards: G1285508823, A Mechanically Based Polymer Microfiber Approach to Probe Mechanotransduction in Calcium Response of Stem Cells, Computational Design of Complex Multi-Scale Systems: Design of Synthetic Muscle with Shape Grammars and Agent-Based Search, G4926128865, G7455204580, G815193996, Information Technology Research (ITR): Next-Generation Bio-Molecular Imaging and Information Discovery, G8888849070
OpenAlex ID: W1990630055