Development of in situ measurement technique to evaluate the internal stress of intracellular structures

本研究的目的是阐明施加到细胞上的力是如何通过细胞内成分传递的。我们发现，细胞骨架丝，如肌动蛋白应力纤维（actin stress fibers，SFs）和微管，在维持整个细胞的力学特性中起着至关重要的作用，它们在三维空间上参与细胞内力的平衡，控制着细胞的内部张力和三维形态。我们还发现，SFs与核膜紧密相连，SFs的内力通过机械方式传递到核膜上。这些直接的力传递可能引起核内DNA构象的变化。本研究结果为细胞力学信号转导提供了新的前景。

The purpose of this study is to elucidate how forces applied to cells are transmitted through intracellular components. We found that cytoskeletal filaments, such as actin stress fibers(SFs) and microtubules, have crucial roles in maintaining whole cell mechanical properties, and they contribute to the intracellular force balance three dimensionally, which control the internal tension of cells and their three dimensional morphology. We also found that SFs firmly connected to nuclear membrane, and the internal force of SFs transmitted mechanically to the nuclear membrane. These direct force transmission may induce the conformation changes of intranuclear DNA. The results of this study will provide new prospects in cellular mechanotransduction.