biostudies-literatureWubshet NHNIBIB NIH HHSNational Institutes of HealthNIH HHSNational Science Foundation310-317https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC11303591biostudies-literatureUnknown81(8)Although diverse actin network architectures found inside the cell have been individually reconstituted outside of the cell, how different types of actin architectures reorganize under applied forces is not entirely understood. Recently, bottom-up reconstitution has enabled studies where dynamic and phenotypic characteristics of various actin networks can be recreated in an isolated cell-like environment. Here, by creating a giant unilamellar vesicle (GUV)-based cell model encapsulating actin networks, we investigate how actin networks rearrange in response to localized stresses applied by micropipette aspiration. We reconstitute actin bundles and branched bundles in GUVs separately and mechanically perturb them. Interestingly, we find that, when aspirated, protrusive actin bundles that arCytoskeleton (Hoboken, N.J.)Rearrangement of GUV-confined actin networks in response to micropipette aspiration.PMC11303591MCB-2201236R01 EB030031T32 EB005582EF1935265NIH NIBIB T32 EB005582MCB‐2201236Wubshet NHLiu APYoung CJfalseRearrangement of GUV-confined actin networks in response to micropipette aspiration.Although diverse actin network architectures found inside the cell have been individually reconstituted outside of the cell, how different types of actin architectures reorganize under applied forces is not entirely understood. Recently, bottom-up reconstitution has enabled studies where dynamic and phenotypic characteristics of various actin networks can be recreated in an isolated cell-like environment. Here, by creating a giant unilamellar vesicle (GUV)-based cell model encapsulating actin networks, we investigate how actin networks rearrange in response to localized stresses applied by micropipette aspiration. We reconstitute actin bundles and branched bundles in GUVs separately and mechanically perturb them. Interestingly, we find that, when aspirated, protrusive actin bundles that ar2024-01-01T00:00:00Z2024 Aug2026-03-18T13:31:37.784Z2025-08-18T09:54:03.641ZS-EPMC113035913832697210.1002/cm.21836