Structurally governed cell mechanotransduction through multiscale modeling

Sci Rep. 2015 Feb 27:5:8622. doi: 10.1038/srep08622.

Abstract

Mechanotransduction has been divided into mechanotransmission, mechanosensing, and mechanoresponse, although how a cell performs all three functions using the same set of structural components is still highly debated. Here, we bridge the gap between emerging molecular and systems-level understandings of mechanotransduction through a multiscale model linking these three phases. Our model incorporates a discrete network of actin filaments and associated proteins that responds to stretching through geometric relaxation. We assess three potential activating mechanisms at mechanosensitive crosslinks as inputs to a mixture model of molecular release and benchmark each using experimental data of mechanically-induced Rho GTPase FilGAP release from actin-filamin crosslinks. Our results suggest that filamin-FilGAP mechanotransduction response is best explained by a bandpass mechanism favoring release when crosslinking angles fall outside of a specific range. Our model further investigates the difference between ordered versus disordered networks and finds that a more disordered actin network may allow a cell to more finely tune control of molecular release enabling a more robust response.

Publication types

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

MeSH terms

  • Actin Cytoskeleton / physiology
  • Computer Simulation
  • Cytoskeletal Proteins / physiology
  • Filamins / physiology
  • GTPase-Activating Proteins / physiology
  • Mechanotransduction, Cellular*
  • Models, Biological

Substances

  • Cytoskeletal Proteins
  • Filamins
  • GTPase-Activating Proteins