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Related Concept Videos

Intracellular Signaling Affects Focal Adhesions01:17

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Integrins act both as extracellular input receivers and as intracellular processing activators. As their name suggests, integrins are entirely integrated into the membrane structure. Their hydrophobic membrane-spanning regions interact with the phospholipid bilayer's hydrophobic region. These membrane receptors provide extracellular attachment sites for effectors like hormones and growth factors. They activate intracellular response cascades when their effectors are bound and active.
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The adherens junctions that anchor cells together are multi-protein complexes that dynamically adapt to mechanical stimuli such as tensile forces and shear stress. Mechanosensory proteins in these junctions can sense such mechanical stimuli and undergo a shift in their conformation, resulting in an altered function — a process called mechanotransduction.
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In animal cells, the extracellular matrix allows cells within tissues to withstand external stresses and transmits signals from the outside of the cell to the inside. The extracellular matrix is extensive, and its composition varies between different types of tissues. For example, the reticular fibers and ground substance make up the ECM in loose connective tissue, while collagen and bone minerals make up the ECM of bone tissue. 
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Anchoring junctions are multiprotein complexes that help cells connect to other cells and the extracellular matrix. Anchoring junctions are present on the lateral and basal surfaces of cells, providing strong and flexible connections. Focal adhesions are often formed due to cell interactions with the ECM substrata, which initiate signal transduction via kinase cascades and other mechanisms. Together, they provide stability and tissue integrity. There are three types of anchoring junctions:...
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Actin and myosin or actomyosin filaments also play a significant role in cells other than those involved in muscle contraction (which occurs within the sarcomere of muscle cells). The mechanism of non-muscle cell contractile bundles was first observed in Dictyostelium and Acanthamoeba. In non-muscle cells, two bundles are commonly found: stress fibers and actomyosin adherence belts. These contractile bundles are smaller and less organized than the ones found in muscle cells. They  are held...
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Strong contact points between adjacent cells anchor them to each other, forming tissues. Such anchoring junctions are of two types –  adherens junctions and desmosomes. Adherens junctions are abundant in tissues such as  epithelium and endothelium, forming a continuous zone of adhesion called the adhesion belt. In other tissues, such as  heart muscle, they appear as clusters, linking the cells to produce coordinated heart muscle contraction.
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Cell shape and tension alter focal adhesion structure.

Carolin Grandy1, Fabian Port1, Jonas Pfeil1

  • 1University Ulm, Institute of Experimental Physics, Ulm, Baden-Württemberg, 89081, Germany.

Biomaterials Advances
|January 9, 2023
PubMed
Summary

Cellular tension affects focal adhesion structure and protein localization. Blocking mechanosensitive ion channels alters focal adhesion architecture, impacting vinculin, paxillin, and actin organization.

Keywords:
CytoskeletonFocal adhesionMechanosensing ion channelsMetal-induced energy transferMicropatterningTension

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Area of Science:

  • Cell Biology
  • Biophysics
  • Mechanobiology

Background:

  • Focal adhesions anchor cells to the extracellular matrix and sense mechanical forces.
  • The precise influence of tension on focal adhesion protein organization remains unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate how cellular tension influences the spatial arrangement of key focal adhesion proteins (vinculin, paxillin, actin).
  • To elucidate the role of mechanosensitive ion channels in regulating focal adhesion structure under varying tension states.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized micropatterning on gold surfaces to control cell shape and focal adhesion formation.
  • Employed metal-induced energy transfer (MIET) for nanometer-accurate protein localization measurements.
  • Applied pharmacological agents targeting myosin and mechanosensitive ion channels to modulate cellular tension.

Main Results:

  • Actin organization within focal adhesions is significantly influenced by the balance of cellular and adhesion tension.
  • Blocking mechanosensitive ion channels led to larger focal adhesions with increased paxillin and vinculin, but reduced actin stress fibers.
  • High cellular tension correlated with elevated vinculin and actin, whereas high adhesion tension decreased these proteins.

Conclusions:

  • Cellular and adhesion tension, along with ion channel activity, maintain focal adhesion homeostasis.
  • Mechanosensitive ion channels play a critical role in regulating focal adhesion architecture and protein distribution in response to mechanical stress.