Cell engineering: Biophysical regulation of the nucleus

Yang Song; Jennifer Soto; Binru Chen; Li Yang; Song Li

doi:10.1016/j.biomaterials.2019.119743

Cell engineering: Biophysical regulation of the nucleus

Biomaterials. 2020 Mar:234:119743. doi: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2019.119743. Epub 2020 Jan 3.

Authors

Yang Song¹, Jennifer Soto², Binru Chen², Li Yang³, Song Li⁴

Affiliations

¹ Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA; School of Bioengineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 400044, China.
² Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
³ School of Bioengineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 400044, China.
⁴ Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Department of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA. Electronic address: songli@ucla.edu.

PMID: 31962231
DOI: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2019.119743

Abstract

Cells live in a complex and dynamic microenvironment, and a variety of microenvironmental cues can regulate cell behavior. In addition to biochemical signals, biophysical cues can induce not only immediate intracellular responses, but also long-term effects on phenotypic changes such as stem cell differentiation, immune cell activation and somatic cell reprogramming. Cells respond to mechanical stimuli via an outside-in and inside-out feedback loop, and the cell nucleus plays an important role in this process. The mechanical properties of the nucleus can directly or indirectly modulate mechanotransduction, and the physical coupling of the cell nucleus with the cytoskeleton can affect chromatin structure and regulate the epigenetic state, gene expression and cell function. In this review, we will highlight the recent progress in nuclear biomechanics and mechanobiology in the context of cell engineering, tissue remodeling and disease development.

Keywords: Epigenetics; Mechanobiology; Mechanotransduction; Nuclear biomechanics.

Publication types

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

MeSH terms

Biophysics
Cell Engineering
Cell Nucleus*
Cytoskeleton
Mechanotransduction, Cellular*

Abstract

Publication types

MeSH terms

Grants and funding