Effects caused by mechanical stretch to the connective tissue

机械环境对结缔组织稳态的重要性是众所周知的。虽然已知这种环境的改变会影响这些组织的生物化学和生物材料特性，但细胞介导机械应力的确切机制仍不清楚。本研究探讨了拉伸载荷下肌腱中原位细胞变形对钙离子信号的影响。材料为成年大鼠尾。肌腱是从尾巴上取下来的。Fluo-3 AM被用作细胞溶质钙离子的指示剂。激光扫描共聚焦显微镜检测荧光。在拉伸负荷下，Fluo-3的荧光显示细胞变形，胞浆钙离子量增加。细胞内钙离子浓度的变化与包括DNA合成在内的几种细胞过程有关。本研究的结果表明，组织应变和由此产生的原位细胞变形导致细胞内钙离子水平的显着增加。

The importance of the mechanical environment to homeostasis of connective tissue is well known. While alterations in this environment are known to affect the biochemical and biomaterial characteristics of these tissue, the exact mechanism by which mechanical stress is mediated by the cell is still unclear. The current study investigates the effect of in situ cell deformation on calcium ion signaling in tendons under tensile load. Materials are tails from adult rat. The tendons were harvested from the tail. Fluo-3 AM was used as a indicator of the cytosolic calcium ion. Laser scanning confocal microscope was employed to detect the fluorescence. The cells were deformed and amount of cytosolic calcium ion increased as indicated by fluorescence of Fluo-3 under tensile load. Changes of cytosolic concentrations of calcium ion have been associated with several cell processes including DNA synthesis. The results of this study have demonstrated that tissue strain and resultant in situ cellar deformation causes a significant increase in the cytosolic levels of calcium ion.