Cardiomyocytes Sense Matrix Rigidity through a Combination of Muscle and Non-muscle Myosin Contractions.

ABSTRACT: Mechanical properties are cues for many biological processes in health or disease. In the heart, changes to the extracellular matrix composition and cross-linking result in stiffening of the cellular microenvironment during development. Moreover, myocardial infarction and cardiomyopathies lead to fibrosis and a stiffer environment, affecting cardiomyocyte behavior. Here, we identify that single cardiomyocyte adhesions sense simultaneous (fast oscillating) cardiac and (slow) non-muscle myosin contractions. Together, these lead to oscillating tension on the mechanosensitive adaptor protein talin on substrates with a stiffness of healthy adult heart tissue, compared with no tension on embryonic heart stiffness and continuous stretching on fibrotic stiffness. Moreover, we show that activation

SUBMITTER: Pandey P 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5807060 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature