Brand Christoph A, Linke Marco, Weißenbruch Kai, Richter Benjamin, Bastmeyer Martin, Schwarz Ulrich S
BioQuant-Center for Quantitative Biology, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany; Institute for Theoretical Physics, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany.
Cell and Neurobiology, Zoological Institute, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Karlsruhe, Germany; Institute of Functional Interfaces (IFG), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Karlsruhe, Germany.
Biophys J. 2017 Aug 22;113(4):770-774. doi: 10.1016/j.bpj.2017.06.058. Epub 2017 Jul 26.
The shape of animal cells is an important regulator for many essential processes such as cell migration or division. It is strongly determined by the organization of the actin cytoskeleton, which is also the main regulator of cell forces. Quantitative analysis of cell shape helps to reveal the physical processes underlying cell shape and forces, but it is notoriously difficult to conduct it in three dimensions. Here we use direct laser writing to create 3D open scaffolds for adhesion of connective tissue cells through well-defined adhesion platforms. Due to actomyosin contractility in the cell contour, characteristic invaginations lined by actin bundles form between adjacent adhesion sites. Using quantitative image processing and mathematical modeling, we demonstrate that the resulting shapes are determined not only by contractility, but also by elastic stress in the peripheral actin bundles. In this way, cells can generate higher forces than through contractility alone.
动物细胞的形状是许多重要过程（如细胞迁移或分裂）的重要调节因子。它在很大程度上由肌动蛋白细胞骨架的组织决定，而肌动蛋白细胞骨架也是细胞力的主要调节因子。对细胞形状进行定量分析有助于揭示细胞形状和力背后的物理过程，但在三维空间中进行这项分析非常困难。在这里，我们使用直接激光写入技术创建三维开放支架，通过明确的粘附平台实现结缔组织细胞的粘附。由于细胞轮廓中的肌动球蛋白收缩性，相邻粘附位点之间会形成由肌动蛋白束排列的特征性内陷。通过定量图像处理和数学建模，我们证明所产生的形状不仅由收缩性决定，还由外周肌动蛋白束中的弹性应力决定。通过这种方式，细胞能够产生比仅通过收缩性更高的力。
