Flormann, D.A.D., Kainka, L., Montalvo, G. orcid.org/0000-0003-0223-6191 et al. (12 more authors) (2024) The structure and mechanics of the cell cortex depend on the location and adhesion state. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 121 (31). e2320372121. ISSN 0027-8424
Abstract
Cells exist in different phenotypes and can transition between them. A phenotype may be characterized by many different aspects. Here, we focus on the example of whether the cell is adhered or suspended and choose particular parameters related to the structure and mechanics of the actin cortex. The cortex is essential to cell mechanics, morphology, and function, such as for adhesion, migration, and division of animal cells. To predict and control cellular functions and prevent malfunctioning, it is necessary to understand the actin cortex. The structure of the cortex governs cell mechanics; however, the relationship between the architecture and mechanics of the cortex is not yet well enough understood to be able to predict one from the other. Therefore, we quantitatively measured structural and mechanical cortex parameters, including cortical thickness, cortex mesh size, actin bundling, and cortex stiffness. These measurements required developing a combination of measurement techniques in scanning electron, expansion, confocal, and atomic force microscopy. We found that the structure and mechanics of the cortex of cells in interphase are different depending on whether the cell is suspended or adhered. We deduced general correlations between structural and mechanical properties and show how these findings can be explained within the framework of semiflexible polymer network theory. We tested the model predictions by perturbing the properties of the actin within the cortex using compounds. Our work provides an important step toward predictions of cell mechanics from cortical structures and suggests how cortex remodeling between different phenotypes impacts the mechanical properties of cells.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
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Authors/Creators: |
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Copyright, Publisher and Additional Information: | © 2024 the Author(s). Published by PNAS. This article is distributed under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives License 4.0 (CC BY-NC-ND). (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/) |
Keywords: | actin; cells; cortex; cytoskeleton; suspended; Cell Adhesion; Actins; Animals; Microscopy, Atomic Force; Biomechanical Phenomena; Models, Biological |
Dates: |
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Institution: | The University of Sheffield |
Academic Units: | The University of Sheffield > Faculty of Science (Sheffield) > School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences |
Depositing User: | Symplectic Sheffield |
Date Deposited: | 16 Oct 2024 15:17 |
Last Modified: | 16 Oct 2024 15:17 |
Status: | Published |
Publisher: | Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences |
Refereed: | Yes |
Identification Number: | 10.1073/pnas.2320372121 |
Related URLs: | |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:218437 |
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Licence: CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0