Substrate stiffness and VE-cadherin mechano-transduction coordinate to regulate endothelial monolayer integrity.

ABSTRACT: The vascular endothelium is subject to diverse mechanical cues that regulate vascular endothelial barrier function. In addition to rigidity sensing through integrin adhesions, mechanical perturbations such as changes in fluid shear stress can also activate force transduction signals at intercellular junctions. This study investigated how extracellular matrix rigidity and intercellular force transduction, activated by vascular endothelial cadherin, coordinate to regulate the integrity of endothelial monolayers. Studies used complementary mechanical measurements of endothelial monolayers grown on patterned substrates of variable stiffness. Specifically perturbing VE-cadherin receptors activated intercellular force transduction signals that increased integrin-dependent cell contractility and

SUBMITTER: Andresen Eguiluz RC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5757379 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature