Mammalian cells measure the extracellular matrix area and respond through switching the adhesion state
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Date
2025
Publication Type
Journal Article
ETH Bibliography
yes
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Abstract
Mammalian cells adjust integrin-mediated adhesion based on the composition and structure of the extracellular matrix (ECM). However, how spatially confined ECM ligands regulate cell adhesion initiation remains unclear. Here, we investigate how cells adapt early adhesion to different ECM protein areas. Through combining microcontact printing with single-cell force spectroscopy we measure cell adhesion initiation and strengthening to defined areas of ECM proteins. HeLa cells and mouse embryonic fibroblasts gradually increase adhesion with collagen I or fibronectin area, while reaching maximum adhesion force to ECM patterns having areas above certain thresholds. On much smaller patterns, both cell types switch to a different state and considerably increase the adhesion force per ECM protein area, which they strengthen much faster. This spatially enhanced adhesion state does not require talin or kindlin, indicating a fundamentally different adhesion mechanism. Mechanotransduction seems to play integrin and cell type-specific roles in the spatially enhanced adhesion state.
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published
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Journal / series
Volume
16 (1)
Pages / Article No.
6870
Publisher
Nature
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Date collected
Date created
Subject
Atomic force microscopy; Integrins; Mechanotransduction; Nanoscale biophysics
Organisational unit
03870 - Müller, Daniel J. / Müller, Daniel J.
Notes
Funding
182587 - Characterizing the cell cycle dependent regulation of adhesion to extracellular matrix proteins (SNF)
215690 - Characterizing molecular mechanisms by which cells sense extracellular matrices differentially to regulate adhesion and growth (SNF)
215690 - Characterizing molecular mechanisms by which cells sense extracellular matrices differentially to regulate adhesion and growth (SNF)
Related publications and datasets
Is supplemented by: https://doi.org/10.3929/ethz-b-000735457