Hysteresis in the cell response to time-dependent substrate stiffness

• Verfasst von: Besser, Achim [VerfasserIn]
• Verfasst von: Schwarz, Ulrich S. [VerfasserIn]
• Titel: Hysteresis in the cell response to time-dependent substrate stiffness
• Verf.angabe: Achim Besser and Ulrich S. Schwarz
• E-Jahr: 2010
• Jahr: 6 July 2010
• Umfang: 3 S.
• Fussnoten: Gesehen am 08.12.2017
• Titel Quelle: Enthalten in: Biophysical journal
• Ort Quelle: Cambridge, Mass. : Cell Press, 1960
• Jahr Quelle: 2010
• Band/Heft Quelle: 99(2010), 1, Seite L10-L12
• ISSN Quelle: 1542-0086
• DOI: doi:10.1016/j.bpj.2010.04.008
• Datenträger: Online-Ressource
• Sprache: eng
• K10plus-PPN: 1566175402

Abstract

Mechanical cues like the rigidity of the substrate are main determinants for the decision-making of adherent cells. Here we use a mechano-chemical model to predict the cellular response to varying substrate stiffnesses. The model equations combine the mechanics of contractile actin filament bundles with a model for the Rho-signaling pathway triggered by forces at cell-matrix contacts. A bifurcation analysis of cellular contractility as a function of substrate stiffness reveals a bistable response, thus defining a lower threshold of stiffness, below which cells are not able to build up contractile forces, and an upper threshold of stiffness, above which cells are always in a strongly contracted state. Using the full dynamical model, we predict that rate-dependent hysteresis will occur in the cellular traction forces when cells are exposed to substrates of time-dependent stiffness.