Structural and mechanical remodeling of the cytoskeleton maintains tensional homeostasis in 3D microtissues under acute dynamic stretch.

ABSTRACT: When stretched, cells cultured on 2D substrates share a universal softening and fluidization response that arises from poorly understood remodeling of well-conserved cytoskeletal elements. It is known, however, that the structure and distribution of the cytoskeleton is profoundly influenced by the dimensionality of a cell's environment. Therefore, in this study we aimed to determine whether cells cultured in a 3D matrix share this softening behavior and to link it to cytoskeletal remodeling. To achieve this, we developed a high-throughput approach to measure the dynamic mechanical properties of cells and allow for sub-cellular imaging within physiologically relevant 3D microtissues. We found that fibroblast, smooth muscle and skeletal muscle microtissues strain softened but did not fluidiz

SUBMITTER: Walker M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7203149 | biostudies-literature | 2020 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature