Document Detail


Role of the actin cytoskeleton in tuning cellular responses to external mechanical stress.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  19422655     Owner:  NLM     Status:  MEDLINE    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
Mechanical forces are essential for tissue homeostasis. In adherent cells, cell-matrix adhesions connect the extracellular matrix (ECM) with the cytoskeleton and transmit forces in both directions. Integrin receptors and signaling molecules in cell-matrix adhesions transduce mechanical into chemical signals, thereby regulating many cellular processes. This review focuses on how cellular mechanotransduction is tuned by actin-generated cytoskeletal tension that balances external with internal mechanical forces. We point out that the cytoskeleton rapidly responds to external forces by RhoA-dependent actin assembly and contraction. This in turn induces remodeling of cell-matrix adhesions and changes in cell shape and orientation. As a consequence, a cell constantly modulates its response to new bouts of external mechanical stimulation. Changes in actin dynamics are monitored by MAL/MKL-1/MRTF-A, a co-activator of serum response factor. Recent evidence suggests that MAL is also involved in coupling mechanically induced changes in the actin cytoskeleton to gene expression. Compared with other, more rapid and transient signals evoked at the cell surface, this parallel mechanotransduction pathway is more sustained and provides spatial and temporal specificity to the response. We describe examples of genes that are regulated by mechanical stress in a manner depending on actin dynamics, among them the ECM protein, tenascin-C.
Authors:
M B Asparuhova; L Gelman; M Chiquet
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Publication Detail:
Type:  Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't; Review     Date:  2009-04-20
Journal Detail:
Title:  Scandinavian journal of medicine & science in sports     Volume:  19     ISSN:  1600-0838     ISO Abbreviation:  Scand J Med Sci Sports     Publication Date:  2009 Aug 
Date Detail:
Created Date:  2009-08-27     Completed Date:  2010-01-13     Revised Date:  -    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  9111504     Medline TA:  Scand J Med Sci Sports     Country:  Denmark    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  490-9     Citation Subset:  IM    
Affiliation:
Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, Basel, Switzerland. maria.asparuhova@fmi.ch
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MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:
Actins / metabolism*
Cell-Matrix Junctions
Cytoskeleton / metabolism*
DNA-Binding Proteins / genetics,  metabolism
Extracellular Matrix / metabolism
Gene Expression
Humans
Mechanotransduction, Cellular
Oncogene Proteins, Fusion / genetics,  metabolism
Stress, Mechanical*
Chemical
Reg. No./Substance:
0/Actins; 0/DNA-Binding Proteins; 0/MKL1 protein, human; 0/Oncogene Proteins, Fusion

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine


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