title: The influence of Pyk2 on the mechanical properties in fibroblasts.
abstract: The cell surface receptor integrin is involved in signaling mechanical stresses via the focal adhesion complex (FAC) into the cell. Within FAC, the focal adhesion kinase (FAK) and Pyk2 are believed to act as important scaffolding proteins. Based on the knowledge that many signal transducing molecules are transiently immobilized within FAC connecting the cytoskeleton with integrins, we applied magnetic tweezer and atomic force microscopic measurements to determine the influence of FAK and Pyk2 in cells mechanically. Using mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEF; FAK(+/+), FAK(-/-), and siRNA-Pyk2 treated FAK(-/-) cells) provided a unique opportunity to describe the function of FAK and Pyk2 in more detail and to define their influence on FAC and actin distribution.
authors.affiliation: Center for Medical Physics and Technology, Biophysics Group, Friedrich-Alexander-University, Erlangen-Nuremberg, Erlangen, Germany.
authors.forename: Anna H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Klemm
authors.forename: Sandra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kienle
authors.forename: Johannes
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rheinlaender
authors.forename: Tilman E
authors.initials: TE
authors.lastname: Schäffer
authors.forename: Wolfgang H
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Goldmann
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002460:Cell Line; D055119:Elastic Modulus; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000201:enzymology / Q000502:physiology*; D051418:Focal Adhesion Kinase 2 / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D022001:Focal Adhesions; D008280:Magnetics; D051379:Mice; D018625:Microscopy, Atomic Force
chemical_list: D051418:Focal Adhesion Kinase 2; C496053:Ptk2b protein, mouse