Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 17, 2025
09:56
Mechanostimulation of Multicellular Organisms Through a High-Throughput Microfluidic Compression System
Published on: December 23, 2022
1.7K
Mechanotransduction: Forcing a change in metabolism
Logan W Dawson1, Nicholas M Cronin1, Kris A DeMali1
1Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA.
Current Opinion in Cell Biology
|August 31, 2023
Summary
Cells facing mechanical stress boost energy production through increased metabolism. Epithelial and endothelial cells enhance glycolysis, oxidative phosphorylation, and fatty acid breakdown to meet these energetic demands.
Area of Science:
- Cell biology
- Mechanobiology
- Cellular metabolism
Background:
- Epithelial and endothelial cells constantly encounter mechanical forces.
- Cells reinforce their cytoskeleton and adhesions to withstand these forces.
- This mechanical reinforcement requires significant cellular energy.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explain how epithelial and endothelial cells meet the energetic demands of mechanical reinforcement.
- To identify the metabolic mechanisms cells use to support cytoskeletal fortification.
- To compare the metabolic responses of epithelial and endothelial cells to mechanical cues.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of cellular responses to mechanical stimuli.
- Assessment of metabolic pathways including glycolysis, oxidative phosphorylation, and fatty acid metabolism.
- Comparative study of epithelial and endothelial cell models.
Main Results:
- Mechanical cues trigger increased energy demands in both cell types.
- Cells upregulate glycolysis, oxidative phosphorylation, and fatty acid metabolism to meet these demands.
- Specific similarities and differences exist in the metabolic strategies of epithelial and endothelial cells.
Conclusions:
- Epithelial and endothelial cells employ specific metabolic adaptations to sustain mechanical reinforcement.
- Understanding these cellular energy strategies is crucial for comprehending tissue mechanics and cell function.
- Metabolic flexibility is key for cells responding to their physical environment.
Related Concept Videos
01:19Regulation of Metabolism
9.5K
Cellular needs and conditions vary from cell to cell and change within individual cells over time. For example, the required enzymes and energetic demands of stomach cells are different from those of fat storage cells, skin cells, blood cells, and nerve cells. Furthermore, a digestive cell works much harder to process and break down nutrients during the time that closely follows a meal compared with many hours after a meal. As these cellular demands and conditions vary, so do the amounts and...
9.5K
01:37Energy to Drive Translocation
2.1K
Mitochondrial protein import is powered by two distinct energy sources: ATP hydrolysis and electrochemical potential across the inner membrane. Newly synthesized precursors are bound by cytosolic chaperones of the Hsp70 family, which guide them to the import receptors on the mitochondrial surface. Utilizing the energy of ATP hydrolysis, Hsp70 chaperones transfer these precursors to the TOM receptors on the mitochondrial outer membrane.
Generally, polypeptides are unfolded by two distinct...
Generally, polypeptides are unfolded by two distinct...
2.1K
01:22Chemiosmosis and ATP Synthesis
51
The electron transport chain is a critical component of cellular respiration, occurring in the inner mitochondrial membrane. It facilitates the transfer of high-energy electrons from reduced cofactors NADH and FADH₂ to molecular oxygen, the final electron acceptor. This transfer of electrons through a series of protein complexes is tightly coupled to the translocation of protons across the membrane, generating a proton gradient essential for ATP synthesis.Electron Flow and Proton...
51
01:30Introduction to Metabolism
77
Metabolism encompasses all biochemical reactions in a living organism, facilitating both the breakdown and synthesis of biomolecules. These metabolic processes are categorized into catabolic and anabolic pathways, which operate in a coordinated manner to ensure energy balance and cellular function.Catabolic Pathways and Energy ReleaseCatabolic pathways involve the breakdown of complex macromolecules such as carbohydrates, lipids, and proteins into smaller structures like monosaccharides, fatty...
77
01:32Chemiosmosis
99.4K
Oxidative phosphorylation is a highly efficient process that generates large amounts of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the basic unit of energy that drives many cellular processes. Oxidative phosphorylation involves two processes— the electron transport chain and chemiosmosis.
Electron Transport Chain
The electron transport chain involves a series of protein complexes on the inner mitochondrial membrane that undergo a series of redox reactions. At the end of this chain, the electrons...
Electron Transport Chain
The electron transport chain involves a series of protein complexes on the inner mitochondrial membrane that undergo a series of redox reactions. At the end of this chain, the electrons...
99.4K
01:58Mechanical Protein Functions
5.0K
Proteins perform many mechanical functions in a cell. These proteins can be classified into two general categories- proteins that generate mechanical forces and proteins that are subjected to mechanical forces. Proteins providing mechanical support to the structure of the cell, such as keratin, are subjected to mechanical force, whereas proteins involved in cell movement and transport of molecules across cell membranes, such as an ion pump, are examples of generating mechanical force.
5.0K