Tuning mitochondrial structure and function to criticality by fluctuation-driven mechanotransduction.

ABSTRACT: Cells in vascular walls are exposed to blood pressure variability (BPV)-induced cycle-by-cycle fluctuations in mechanical forces which vary considerably with pathology. For example, BPV is elevated in hypertension but reduced under anesthesia. We hypothesized that the extent of mechanical fluctuations applied to vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) regulates mitochondrial network structure near the percolation transition, which also influences ATP and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. We stretched VSMCs in culture with cycle-by-cycle variability in area strain ranging from no variability (0%), as in standard laboratory conditions, through abnormally small (6%) and physiological (25%) to pathologically high (50%) variability mimicking hypertension, superimposed on 0.1 mean area stra

SUBMITTER: Bartolak-Suki E 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6962425 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature