title: Directional bleb formation in spherical cells under temperature gradient.
abstract: Living cells sense absolute temperature and temporal changes in temperature using biological thermosensors such as ion channels. Here, we reveal, to our knowledge, a novel mechanism of sensing spatial temperature gradients within single cells. Spherical mitotic cells form directional membrane extensions (polar blebs) under sharp temperature gradients (≥∼0.065°C μm(-1); 1.3°C temperature difference within a cell), which are created by local heating with a focused 1455-nm laser beam under an optical microscope. On the other hand, multiple nondirectional blebs are formed under gradual temperature gradients or uniform heating. During heating, the distribution of actomyosin complexes becomes inhomogeneous due to a break in the symmetry of its contractile force, highlighting the role of the actomyosin complex as a sensor of local temperature gradients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, School of Advanced Science and Engineering, Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan. Electronic address: kou_oyama@akane.waseda.jp.
authors.forename: Kotaro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Oyama
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, School of Advanced Science and Engineering, Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Tomomi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Arai
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, School of Advanced Science and Engineering, Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Akira
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Isaka
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, School of Advanced Science and Engineering, Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Taku
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sekiguchi
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, School of Advanced Science and Engineering, Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan; Institute of Medical Biology, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A(∗)STAR), Singapore, Singapore.
authors.forename: Hideki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Itoh
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, School of Advanced Science and Engineering, Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Yusuke
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Seto
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, School of Advanced Science and Engineering, Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Makito
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Miyazaki
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, School of Advanced Science and Engineering, Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Takeshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Itabashi
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, School of Advanced Science and Engineering, Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ohki
authors.affiliation: WASEDA Bioscience Research Institute in Singapore (WABIOS), Singapore, Singapore; Organization for University Research Initiatives, Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan. Electronic address: suzu_mado@aoni.waseda.jp.
authors.forename: Madoka
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, School of Advanced Science and Engineering, Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan; WASEDA Bioscience Research Institute in Singapore (WABIOS), Singapore, Singapore; Organization for University Research Initiatives, Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan. Electronic address: ishiwata@waseda.jp.
authors.forename: Shin'ichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ishiwata
mesh_terms: D000205:Actomyosin / Q000378:metabolism; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D048430:Cell Shape / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D006367:HeLa Cells; D006801:Humans; D007259:Infrared Rays; D007834:Lasers; D013696:Temperature; D014741:Video Recording
chemical_list: D000205:Actomyosin; D002118:Calcium