Caveolae are plasma membrane organelles that are, among many other features, involved in mechanosensing and mechanoprotection. Different tools have been developed to study caveolae-dependent mechanoprotection and had to be adapted to the tissue or cells studied, as these structures are found in almost every type of cells. This chapter focuses on a protocol combining the use of live-cell imaging, micropatterning, hypo-osmotic shock as a mechanical stress, and dyes such as calcein-AM and propidium iodide. We used this protocol for the in vitro study of the effect of mechanical stress on membrane integrity in human muscle cells from patients bearing caveolin-3 mutations.
Keywords: Caveolae; Live-cell imaging; Mechanoprotection; Micropatterning; Muscle cells.