Induction of VEGF Secretion in Cardiomyocytes by Mechanical Stretch

Cells respond to their environment by relaying mechanical force into biochemical stimuli that activate intracellular signal transduction pathways. Subjecting cells to in vitro mechanical stretch can mimic cellular responses to changes in the rigidity of the extracellular matrix. Here we describe an in vitro model system that mimics stretch overload in vivo. In this stretch-mediated hypertrophy model, adult rat cardiomyocytes attached to laminin-coated flexible membranes are subjected to cyclic mechanical stretch at an extension level of 10 % at 30 cycles/min. At various time points VEGF secretion into the media is collected and quantitated.