Hysteresis in the cell response to time-dependent substrate stiffness
Mechanical cues like the rigidity of the substrate are main determinants for the decision-making of adherent cells. Here we use a mechano-chemical model to predict the cellular response to varying substrate stiffnesses. The model equations combine the mechanics of contractile actin filament bundles...
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| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article (Journal) |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
6 July 2010
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| In: |
Biophysical journal
Year: 2010, Volume: 99, Issue: 1, Pages: L10-L12 |
| ISSN: | 1542-0086 |
| DOI: | 10.1016/j.bpj.2010.04.008 |
| Online Access: | Verlag, kostenfrei, Volltext: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.bpj.2010.04.008 Verlag, kostenfrei, Volltext: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0006349510004406 
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| Author Notes: | Achim Besser and Ulrich S. Schwarz |
| Summary: | Mechanical cues like the rigidity of the substrate are main determinants for the decision-making of adherent cells. Here we use a mechano-chemical model to predict the cellular response to varying substrate stiffnesses. The model equations combine the mechanics of contractile actin filament bundles with a model for the Rho-signaling pathway triggered by forces at cell-matrix contacts. A bifurcation analysis of cellular contractility as a function of substrate stiffness reveals a bistable response, thus defining a lower threshold of stiffness, below which cells are not able to build up contractile forces, and an upper threshold of stiffness, above which cells are always in a strongly contracted state. Using the full dynamical model, we predict that rate-dependent hysteresis will occur in the cellular traction forces when cells are exposed to substrates of time-dependent stiffness. |
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| Item Description: | Gesehen am 08.12.2017 |
| Physical Description: | Online Resource |
| ISSN: | 1542-0086 |
| DOI: | 10.1016/j.bpj.2010.04.008 |