'Many biochemical processes in the growth cone finally target its biomechanical properties, such as stiffness and force generation, and thus permit and control growth cone movement. Despite the immense progress in our understanding of biochemical processes regulating neuronal growth, growth cone biomechanics remains poorly understood. Here, we combine different experimental ... More
Tension is required but not sufficient for focal adhesion maturation without a stress fiber template.
AuthorsOakes PW, Beckham Y, Stricker J, Gardel ML
JournalJ Cell Biol
PubMed ID22291038
Focal adhesion composition and size are modulated in a myosin II-dependent maturation process that controls adhesion, migration, and matrix remodeling. As myosin II activity drives stress fiber assembly and enhanced tension at adhesions simultaneously, the extent to which adhesion maturation is driven by tension or altered actin architecture is unknown. ... More
Periostin modulates myofibroblast differentiation during full-thickness cutaneous wound repair.
AuthorsElliott CG, Wang J, Guo X, Xu SW, Eastwood M, Guan J, Leask A, Conway SJ, Hamilton DW
JournalJ Cell Sci
PubMed ID22266908
The matricellular protein periostin is expressed in the skin. Although periostin has been hypothesized to contribute to dermal homeostasis and repair, this has not been directly tested. To assess the contribution of periostin to dermal healing, 6 mm full-thickness excisional wounds were created in the skin of periostin-knockout and wild-type, ... More
Alpha-actinin-4 and CLP36 protein deficiencies contribute to podocyte defects in multiple human glomerulopathies.
AuthorsLiu Z, Blattner SM, Tu Y, Tisherman R, Wang JH, Rastaldi MP, Kretzler M, Wu C
JournalJ Biol Chem
PubMed ID21680739
Genetic alterations of a-actinin-4 can cause podocyte injury through multiple mechanisms. Although a mechanism involving gain-of-a-actinin-4 function was well described and is responsible for a dominantly inherited form of human focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS), evidence supporting mechanisms involving loss-of-a-actinin-4 function in human glomerular diseases remains elusive. Here we show that ... More
Contractile forces contribute to increased glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored receptor CD24-facilitated cancer cell invasion.
AuthorsMierke CT, Bretz N, Altevogt P
JournalJ Biol Chem
PubMed ID21828044
The malignancy of a tumor depends on the capability of cancer cells to metastasize. The process of metastasis involves cell invasion through connective tissue and transmigration through endothelial monolayers. The expression of the glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored receptor CD24 is increased in several tumor types and is consistently associated with increased metastasis formation ... More