Possible roles of actomyosin and mechanosensitive channels in substrate rigidity sensing of cells

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 24247028
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (A)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Biophysics
• Research Institution: Nagoya University
• Principal Investigator: SOKABE Masahiro 名古屋大学, 医学(系)研究科(研究院), 特任教授 (10093428)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): TATSUMI Hitoshi 金沢工業大学, バイオ・化学部・応用バイオ学科, 教授 (20171720) ; HAYAKAWA Kimihide 名古屋大学, 医学系研究科, 特任講師 (60467280)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): KOBAYASHI Takeshi 名古屋大学, 医学系研究科, 講師 (40402565)
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: メカノセンシング / 足場 / 機械受容チャネル / 細胞骨格 / 接着斑

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Various cellular activities including cell migration, spreading, proliferation and differentiation are critically influenced by substrate rigidity. To sense substrate rigidity, cells apply traction forces to cell-substrate adhesions via actin stress fibers and measure mechanical responses of the substrate. Besides mechanosensitive (MS) adaptor proteins, MS channels are involved in the substrate rigidity sensing. MS channels located at or near focal adhesions convert the rigidity-dependent stress generated in stress fibers system into the level of cytoplasmic calcium ion concentration by locally altering their calcium ion permeability. Besides by external forces, cells spontaneously generate rigidity-dependent localized cytoplasmic calcium ion concentration increases, implicating MS channels as intrinsic force measurement system. In our study, some members of transient receptor potential channels have been identified to contribute to substrate rigidity sensing.

Free Research Field

メカノバイオロジー、脳生理学