Separation of distinct adhesion complexes and associated cytoskeleton by a micro-stencil-printing method.
Adhesion between cells and the extracellular matrix is mediated by different types of transmembraneous proteins. Their associations to specific partners lead to the assembly of contacts such as focal adhesions and hemidesmosomes. The spatial overlap between both contacts within cells has however limited the study of each type of contact. Here we show that with "stampcils" focal contacts and hemidesmosomes can be spatially separated: cells are plated within the cavities of a stencil and the grids of the stencil serve as stamps for grafting an extracellular matrix protein-fibronectin. Cells engage new contacts on stamped zones leading to the segregation of adhesions and their associated cytoskeletons, i.e., actin and intermediate filaments of keratins. This new method should provide new insights into cell contacts compositions and dynamics.
Laboratory of Cell Physics ISIS/IGBMC, Université de Strasbourg, CNRS UMR 7006; Strasbourg, France.
David
D
Caballero
Naël
N
Osmani
Elisabeth
E
Georges-Labouesse
Michel
M
Labouesse
Daniel
D
Riveline
D000199:Actins / Q000378:metabolism; D002448:Cell Adhesion; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules / Q000378:metabolism; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002465:Cell Movement; D003599:Cytoskeleton / Q000378:metabolism*; D005353:Fibronectins / Q000378:metabolism; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique / Q000379:methods; D022001:Focal Adhesions / Q000378:metabolism*; D022002:Hemidesmosomes / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D015603:Keratinocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D046912:Multiprotein Complexes / Q000378:metabolism; D013194:Staining and Labeling / Q000379:methods; D013997:Time Factors
D000199:Actins; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules; D005353:Fibronectins; D046912:Multiprotein Complexes