Mechanics of the cell interface

细胞界面的力学

• 批准号: EP/P024092/1
• 负责人: Margarita Staykova
• 金额: $ 12.78万
• 依托单位: Durham University
• 依托单位国家: 英国
• 项目类别: Research Grant
• 财政年份: 2017
• 资助国家: 英国
• 起止时间: 2017 至 无数据
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=EP%2FP024092%2F1
• 关键词: Mechanics; cell; interface

The physical coat of biological cells- a thin fluid lipid membrane, supported on a deformable actin network, is remarkable in its ability to adapt and respond to mechanical stretch. The properties of the coat allow cells to sustain the transient dilation of lungs, intestines, bladder, etc., to squeeze through small capillaries, and they are what we currently lack in the design of microcapsules for delivery and release. Previous work by us and others on reconstituted systems and on living cells lead us to suggest that the mechanical competence of the cellular coat emerges from the material properties of the lipid membrane and the actin cortex, as well as from their coordinated structural remodeling upon mechanical deformation. In particular we propose that upon stretch the actin cortex stiffens and protects the lipid membrane from rupturing, and upon compression, the cortex fluidizes and allows the membrane to reshape and regulate its excess area. To be able to verify these mechanisms and to reveal processes that are inaccessible by whole cell experiments, we will assemble the cellular coat onto an elastic substrate and image the structural remodeling of the membrane and the actin cortex during stretch and compression. With this project we aim to 1) build the experimental setup, 2) elucidate the ability of the cellular coat to sustain mechanical deformation by passive restructuring, and 3) establish complementary collaborative work with labs working on cell and tissue mechanics. This project will prepare the grounds for our future studies on the ability of cells to actively adapt and respond to mechanical deformation, which links among others to processes such as morphogenesis, embryogenesis, or migration of cancer cells.In addition, during and after the project, we will collaborate with an industrial partner to translate our findings on the mechanics of the cellular coat to the design of stimuli-responsive capsules for flavour release and delivery.

生物细胞的物理外壳——一层薄薄的流体脂质膜，由可变形的肌动蛋白网络支撑，具有显著的适应和响应机械拉伸的能力。这种外壳的特性使细胞能够维持肺、肠、膀胱等的短暂扩张，通过细小的毛细血管挤压，这是我们目前在设计微胶囊时所缺乏的。我们和其他人之前对重组系统和活细胞的研究使我们认为，细胞外壳的机械能力来自于脂质膜和肌动蛋白皮层的材料特性，以及它们在机械变形时的协调结构重塑。我们特别提出，在拉伸时，肌动蛋白皮层变硬并保护脂质膜免于破裂，在压缩时，皮层流化并允许膜重塑并调节其多余区域。为了验证这些机制并揭示整个细胞实验无法实现的过程，我们将把细胞外壳组装到弹性基底上，并对拉伸和压缩过程中膜和肌动蛋白皮质的结构重塑进行成像。在这个项目中，我们的目标是1)建立实验装置，2)阐明细胞外壳通过被动重组来维持机械变形的能力，以及3)与从事细胞和组织力学的实验室建立互补的协作工作。这个项目将为我们未来对细胞主动适应和响应机械变形的能力的研究奠定基础，机械变形与形态发生、胚胎发生或癌细胞迁移等过程有关。此外，在项目期间和之后，我们将与一个工业合作伙伴合作，将我们对细胞外壳力学的发现转化为刺激反应胶囊的设计，用于风味释放和传递。

项目成果

Dynamic mechanochemical feedback between curved membranes and BAR protein self-organization.

• DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-26591-3
• 发表时间: 2021-11-12
• 期刊: Nature communications
• 影响因子: 16.6
• 作者: Le Roux AL;Tozzi C;Walani N;Quiroga X;Zalvidea D;Trepat X;Staykova M;Arroyo M;Roca-Cusachs P
• 通讯作者: Roca-Cusachs P

Substrate-led cholesterol extraction from supported lipid membranes.

• DOI: 10.1039/c8nr03399d
• 发表时间: 2018-08
• 期刊: Nanoscale
• 影响因子: 6.7
• 作者: Ethan J. Miller;Kislon Voïtchovsky;M. Staykova