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Article
Open AccessVimentin is a key regulator of cell mechanosensing through opposite actions on actomyosin and microtubule networks
The cytoskeleton is a complex network of interconnected biopolymers consisting of actin filaments, microtubules, and intermediate filaments. These biopolymers work in concert to transmit cell-generated forces ...
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Article
Open AccessRecombinant human plasma gelsolin reverses increased permeability of the blood–brain barrier induced by the spike protein of the SARS-CoV-2 virus
Plasma gelsolin (pGSN) is an important part of the blood actin buffer that prevents negative consequences of possible F-actin deposition in the microcirculation and has various functions during host immune res...
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Article
Open AccessThe Atr-Chek1 pathway inhibits axon regeneration in response to Piezo-dependent mechanosensation
Atr is a serine/threonine kinase, known to sense single-stranded DNA breaks and activate the DNA damage checkpoint by phosphorylating Chek1, which inhibits Cdc25, causing cell cycle arrest. This pathway has no...
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Article
Open AccessElasticity-dependent response of malignant cells to viscous dissipation
The stiffness of the cellular environment controls malignant cell phenotype and proliferation. However, the effect of viscous dissipation on these parameters has not yet been investigated, in part due to the l...
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Article
Effects of extracellular matrix viscoelasticity on cellular behaviour
Substantial research over the past two decades has established that extracellular matrix (ECM) elasticity, or stiffness, affects fundamental cellular processes, including spreading, growth, proliferation, migr...
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Article
Emergence of tissue-like mechanics from fibrous networks confined by close-packed cells
The viscoelasticity of the crosslinked semiflexible polymer networks—such as the internal cytoskeleton and the extracellular matrix—that provide shape and mechanical resistance against deformation is assumed t...
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Article
Open AccessSusceptibility of microbial cells to the modified PIP2-binding sequence of gelsolin anchored on the surface of magnetic nanoparticles
Magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) are characterized by unique physicochemical and biological properties that allow their employment as highly biocompatible drug carriers. Gelsolin (GSN) is a multifunctional actin-...
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Article
Compressive tumours cause neuronal damage
By compressing blood vessels and neurons, globular tumours in the brain can cause neuronal damage, which can be partially reversed by relieving the stress via tumour removal or by administering lithium.
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Article
Open AccessInhibition of inflammatory response in human keratinocytes by magnetic nanoparticles functionalized with PBP10 peptide derived from the PIP2-binding site of human plasma gelsolin
Human plasma gelsolin (pGSN) is a multifunctional actin-binding protein involved in a variety of biological processes, including neutralization of pro-inflammatory molecules such as lipopolysaccharide (LPS) an...
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Article
Open AccessSalmon fibrinogen and chitosan scaffold for tissue engineering: in vitro and in vivo evaluation
3D fibrous scaffolds have received much recent attention in regenerative medicine. Use of fibrous scaffolds has shown promising results in tissue engineering and wound healing. Here we report the development a...
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Article
A comparison of methods to assess cell mechanical properties
The mechanical properties of cells influence their cellular and subcellular functions, including cell adhesion, migration, polarization, and differentiation, as well as organelle organization and trafficking i...
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Article
Open AccessControl of cell morphology and differentiation by substrates with independently tunable elasticity and viscous dissipation
The mechanical properties of extracellular matrices can control the function of cells. Studies of cellular responses to biomimetic soft materials have been largely restricted to hydrogels and elastomers that h...
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Article
Open AccessUncoupling shear and uniaxial elastic moduli of semiflexible biopolymer networks: compression-softening and stretch-stiffening
Gels formed by semiflexible filaments such as most biopolymers exhibit non-linear behavior in their response to shear deformation, e.g., with a pronounced strain stiffening and negative normal stress. These ne...
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Article
Open AccessPolyelectrolyte-mediated increase of biofilm mass formation
Biofilm formation is associated with various aspects of bacterial and fungal infection. This study was designed to assess the impact of diverse natural polyelectrolytes, such as DNA, F-actin, neurofilaments (N...
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Article
Open AccessIncreased levels of sphingosine-1-phosphate in cerebrospinal fluid of patients diagnosed with tick-borne encephalitis
Tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) is a serious acute central nervous system infection that can result in death or long-term neurological dysfunctions. We hypothesize that changes in sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) c...
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Chapter
Phosphatidylinositol 4, 5 Bisphosphate and the Actin Cytoskeleton
Dynamic changes in PM PIP2 have been implicated in the regulation of many processes that are dependent on actin polymerization and remodeling. PIP2 is synthesized primarily by the type I phosphatidylinositol 4 ph...
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Chapter
ACTIN
Eukaryotic cells contain three distinct cytoskeletal filament systems, including actin, that exhibit very different assembly properties, supramolecular architectures, dynamic behavior, and mechanical propertie...
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Chapter
Substrate Elasticity as a Probe to Measure Mechanosensing at Cell-Cell and Cell-Matrix Junctions
In vivo, most cells are mechanically and chemically connected to other cells or to a variety of polymeric networks generically called the extracellular matrix (ECM). Adhesive contacts are formed by distinct cl...
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Article
Open AccessHypogelsolinemia, a disorder of the extracellular actin scavenger system, in patients with multiple sclerosis
Extracellular gelsolin (GSN) and GC-globulin/Vitamin D-binding protein (DBP) appear to play an important role in clearing the actin from extracellular fluids and in modulating cellular responses to anionic bio...
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Article
Spotted vesicles, striped micelles and Janus assemblies induced by ligand binding
Selective binding of multivalent ligands within a mixture of polyvalent amphiphiles provides, in principle, a simple mechanism for driving domain formation in self-assemblies. Divalent cations are shown here t...
