Amplitude-dependent stress fiber reorientation in early response to cyclic strain.

Almost all types of cells in vivo are constantly subjected to mechanical deformation derived from muscular movement, respiration, or blood pulsation. In order to elucidate how cells and their cytoskeletal components respond to these stimuli, we developed a new device which can apply a wide range of uniaxial cyclic strain to cultured cells. When the cells were subjected to this stimulation, their stress fibers were rapidly arranged at a specific oblique angle relative to the direction of stretching. This stress fiber angulation showed a close relationship to the amplitude of stretching.