Cell stiffening in response to external stress is correlated to actin recruitment.
We designed a micromanipulation device that allows the local application of a constant force on living cells, and the measurement of their stiffness. The force is applied through an Arg-Gly-Asp-coated bead adhering on the cell and trapped in optical tweezers controlled by a feedback loop. Epifluorescence observations of green fluorescent protein-actin in the cells are made during force application. We observe a stiffening of cells submitted to a constant force within a few minutes, coupled to actin recruitment both at the bead-cell contact and up to several micrometers from the stress application zone. Moreover, kinetics of stiffening and actin recruitment exhibit a strong correlation. This work presents the first quantification of the dynamics of cell mechanical reinforcement under stress, which is a novel insight into the elucidation of the more general phenomenon of cell adaptation to stress.
Icard-Arcizet
Delphine
D
Laboratoire Matière et Systèmes Complexes, Université Paris Diderot-Paris 7, Paris, France.
Cardoso
Olivier
O
Richert
Alain
A
Hénon
Sylvie
S
D000199:Actins / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D002448:Cell Adhesion / Q000502:physiology*; D002460:Cell Line; D004548:Elasticity; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D040542:Mechanotransduction, Cellular / Q000502:physiology*; D051379:Mice; D008846:Micromanipulation / Q000379:methods*; D032446:Myoblasts / Q000502:physiology*; D052898:Optical Tweezers; D013314:Stress, Mechanical
D000199:Actins