Distending stress of the cytoskeleton is a key determinant of cell rheological behavior.
One fundamental question in cell biology is what determines rheological properties of living cells. If the cytoskeletal distending stress is a key determinant of cell rheology, then modulating this stress by cell stretching should have a major effect on cell rheological properties. If not, then other mechanisms must play a major role. We developed a stretchable cell culture device that could rapidly stretch cells and thus generate passive mechanical stress within the cytoskeleton. This device was placed inside a magnetic cytometry system to measure the effect of stretching on rheological properties of cultured human airway smooth muscle cells. A gradual increase in cell distension caused a systematic increase in cell dynamic stiffness in a manner which was consistent with earlier observations where the active component of the distending stress was modulated pharmacologically. These findings provide strong evidence that the cytoskeletal distending stress is a key determinant of cell rheological properties.
Rosenblatt
Noah
N
Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA.
Hu
Shaohua
S
Chen
Jianxin
J
Wang
Ning
N
Stamenović
Dimitrije
D
D018929:Cell Culture Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003599:Cytoskeleton / Q000378:metabolism*; D004548:Elasticity; D006801:Humans; D008280:Magnetics; D032389:Myocytes, Smooth Muscle / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D012212:Rheology; D013314:Stress, Mechanical; D014132:Trachea / Q000033:anatomy & histology