Nuclear forces and cell mechanosensing

Samer Alam; David B Lovett; Richard B Dickinson; Kyle J Roux; Tanmay P Lele

doi:10.1016/B978-0-12-394624-9.00008-7

Nuclear forces and cell mechanosensing

Prog Mol Biol Transl Sci. 2014:126:205-15. doi: 10.1016/B978-0-12-394624-9.00008-7.

Authors

Samer Alam¹, David B Lovett¹, Richard B Dickinson¹, Kyle J Roux², Tanmay P Lele¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA.
² Sanford Children's Health Research Center, University of South Dakota, Sioux Falls, South Dakota, USA.

Abstract

Cells respond to mechanical signals, but the subcellular mechanisms are not well understood. The nucleus has recently emerged as an important mechanosensory organelle in the cell, as it is intimately connected to the cytoskeleton. Mechanical forces applied to cells that act on membrane-embedded receptors are transmitted through the cytoskeleton to the nuclear surface. Interfering with linkers of the nucleus to the cytoskeleton causes defects in cell mechanosensing and cell function. In this chapter, we discuss recent work in this area, highlighting the role that the nuclear linkages with the cytoskeleton play in cellular mechanotransduction.

Keywords: Cytoskeleton; KASH domain proteins; LINC complex; Lamin A/C; Mechanotransduction; Nesprin proteins; Nuclear envelope; Nucleus; SUN domain proteins.

Publication types

Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Review

MeSH terms

Animals
Biomechanical Phenomena
Cell Nucleus / metabolism*
Cytoskeleton / metabolism
Humans
Mechanotransduction, Cellular*
Multiprotein Complexes / metabolism

Substances

Multiprotein Complexes

Abstract

Publication types

MeSH terms

Substances

Grants and funding