Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Cell-matrix's Response to Mechanical Forces01:13

Cell-matrix's Response to Mechanical Forces

3.4K
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. 
Anchoring junctions mechanically attach a cell to the...
3.4K
Intracellular Signaling Affects Focal Adhesions01:17

Intracellular Signaling Affects Focal Adhesions

3.4K
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.
Some...
3.4K
Tension Response at Adherens Junctions01:26

Tension Response at Adherens Junctions

3.4K
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.
α-Catenin as a Mechanosensory Protein
The α-catenin of adherens junctions is an allosteric protein with three VH (vinculin...
3.4K
Actin Polymerization and Cell Motility01:13

Actin Polymerization and Cell Motility

6.4K
Actin is a family of globular proteins that are highly abundant in eukaryotic cells. It makes up approximately 1-5% of total cell protein concentration. Actin monomers polymerize to form a complex network of polarized filaments, the actin cytoskeleton, that plays a crucial role in many cellular processes, including cell motility, division, endocytosis, and metastasis of cancer cells.
Actin cytoskeleton dynamics can produce pushing, pulling, and resistance forces that help the cell to migrate....
6.4K
Cell Migration01:19

Cell Migration

6.3K
Cell migration is a process by which the cells move from one location to another, playing an essential role in embryological development, repair and regeneration, immune response, and metastasis. Cells migrate in response to chemical or mechanical signals generated by specific organs or tissues. The overall mechanism includes three steps - polarization, protrusion, and release. Polarization involves the formation of a distinct cell front and rear, which determines the direction of movement.
6.3K
The Role of Actin and Myosin in Non-muscle Cells01:10

The Role of Actin and Myosin in Non-muscle Cells

4.5K
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...
4.5K

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Mechanics and thermodynamics of the living cell, dedicated to Erich Sackmann.

Biophysical journal·2026
Same author

Self-folding graphene scaffolds with integrated electronics for cardiac tissue engineering.

Nanoscale·2026
Same author

Reconstituted nascent adhesion condensates drive actin polymerization on supported lipid bilayers.

Science advances·2026
Same author

Immune cells employ intermittent integrin-mediated traction forces for 3D migration.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·2026
Same author

DynamicAtlas: a morphodynamic atlas for Drosophila development.

Nature methods·2025
Same author

Strings and topological defects govern ordering kinetics in endothelial cell layers.

Nature physics·2025

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jan 8, 2026

Analyzing Cell Surface Adhesion Remodeling in Response to Mechanical Tension Using Magnetic Beads
07:55

Analyzing Cell Surface Adhesion Remodeling in Response to Mechanical Tension Using Magnetic Beads

Published on: March 8, 2017

8.9K

Force Transmission by Minimal Focal Adhesion Complexes Induces Synthetic Cell Deformation.

Natalie Huhn1,2,3, Chiao-Peng Hsu1, Timon Nast-Kolb1

  • 1Heinz Nixdorf Chair in Biophysical Engineering of Living Matter, Center for Functional Protein Assemblies, Center for Organoid Systems, Department of Bioscience, Technical University of Munich, Technical University of Munich School of Natural Sciences, Garching 85748, Germany.

ACS Synthetic Biology
|December 17, 2025
PubMed
Summary

Researchers created minimal focal adhesion-like complexes in artificial cell membranes. These structures demonstrate how cells sense and respond to mechanical forces using basic protein-membrane interactions.

Keywords:
actinactomyosincontractile force transmissionfocal adhesionprotein complexreconstitution

More Related Videos

Perturbing Endothelial Biomechanics via Connexin 43 Structural Disruption
09:20

Perturbing Endothelial Biomechanics via Connexin 43 Structural Disruption

Published on: October 4, 2019

5.9K
Measurement of Force-Sensitive Protein Dynamics in Living Cells Using a Combination of Fluorescent Techniques
08:28

Measurement of Force-Sensitive Protein Dynamics in Living Cells Using a Combination of Fluorescent Techniques

Published on: November 2, 2018

8.7K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jan 8, 2026

Analyzing Cell Surface Adhesion Remodeling in Response to Mechanical Tension Using Magnetic Beads
07:55

Analyzing Cell Surface Adhesion Remodeling in Response to Mechanical Tension Using Magnetic Beads

Published on: March 8, 2017

8.9K
Perturbing Endothelial Biomechanics via Connexin 43 Structural Disruption
09:20

Perturbing Endothelial Biomechanics via Connexin 43 Structural Disruption

Published on: October 4, 2019

5.9K
Measurement of Force-Sensitive Protein Dynamics in Living Cells Using a Combination of Fluorescent Techniques
08:28

Measurement of Force-Sensitive Protein Dynamics in Living Cells Using a Combination of Fluorescent Techniques

Published on: November 2, 2018

8.7K

Area of Science:

  • Biophysics
  • Cell Biology
  • Synthetic Biology

Background:

  • Cells utilize focal adhesions to sense and respond to mechanical cues.
  • These dynamic protein assemblies link the actin cytoskeleton to the extracellular matrix.
  • Minimal requirements for focal adhesion force transmission and mechanosensing are not fully understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To reconstitute minimal focal adhesion-like complexes in giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs).
  • To investigate the essential physical requirements for force transmission and mechanosensing.
  • To establish a controllable synthetic biology platform for studying cell mechanics.

Main Methods:

  • Reconstitution of focal adhesion-like complexes in GUVs using specific proteins (kindlin-2, talin-1, FAK, paxillin, zyxin, VASP) and membrane components (PIP2, integrin β1 tails).
  • Incorporation of actin filaments and nonmuscle myosin IIa to induce actomyosin contraction.
  • Observation of complex assembly, actin nucleation, force transmission, and GUV deformation.

Main Results:

  • Successfully reconstituted minimal focal adhesion-like complexes in GUVs.
  • Demonstrated actin filament nucleation, anchoring, and network formation within the GUVs.
  • Showcased force transmission, complex alignment, and GUV deformation upon actomyosin contraction, with stable membrane binding.

Conclusions:

  • Minimal protein-membrane interactions are sufficient for actin recruitment, force transmission, and structural stability under load.
  • The reconstituted system provides a minimal, three-dimensional platform for probing mechanosensing.
  • This synthetic biology approach can be used to engineer force-responsive biomimetic systems.