Effect of antithrombin III on neutrophil deformability

Electric fields regulate cellular elasticity through intracellular Ca2+ concentrations

Cellular elasticity is a key factor related to a broad range of physiological and pathological processes. The elasticity of a single cell has thus emerged as a potential biomarker to characterize the cellular state. Both internal and external stimuli affect cellular elasticity, and changes in elasticity can cause alterations in cellular characteristics or function. The application of electric fields (EFs) is a promising method that can be used to change cellular elasticity; however, the mechanisms underlying its effect remain unknown. Here, we demonstrate EFs-induced elasticity changes in human dermal fibroblasts and discuss the underlying mechanism related to actin polymerization. Cellular elasticity increases after EF (50 mV/mm) stimulation, reaching a maximum at 30 min before decreasing between 30 and 120 min. The cellular elasticity under EF stimulation, regardless of stimulation time, is higher than that of the control. F-actin regulates the elasticity of cells through gelsolin activation. We show changes in intracellular Ca²⁺ caused by EFs, which induced gelsolin activation and F-actin content changes. This result demonstrates a series of processes in which external electrical stimulation conditions regulate cellular elasticity.

Qualitative analysis of contribution of intracellular skeletal changes to cellular elasticity

Cells are dynamic structures that continually generate and sustain mechanical forces within their environments. Cells respond to mechanical forces by changing their shape, moving, and differentiating. These reactions are caused by intracellular skeletal changes, which induce changes in cellular mechanical properties such as stiffness, elasticity, viscoelasticity, and adhesiveness. Interdisciplinary research combining molecular biology with physics and mechanical engineering has been conducted to characterize cellular mechanical properties and understand the fundamental mechanisms of mechanotransduction. In this review, we focus on the role of cytoskeletal proteins in cellular mechanics. The specific role of each cytoskeletal protein, including actin, intermediate filaments, and microtubules, on cellular elasticity is summarized along with the effects of interactions between the fibers.

Chemokine-like factor 1, a novel cytokine, induces nerve cell migration through the non-extracellular Ca2+-dependent tyrosine kinases pathway

Chemokine-like factor 1 (CKLF1) is a newly cloned chemotactic cytokine. The roles of CKLF1 in the immune system and the respiratory system have been reported, but its function in the nervous system is still remaining unclear. We aimed to investigate the role of CKLF1 in the nerve cell migration and its regulatory mechanisms. By chemotaxis assays and wound-healing assays, CKLF1 stimulated the migration of SH-SY5Y cells dose-dependently. By immunofluorescence staining, CKLF1 induced actin polymerization. By western blotting, proline-rich tyrosine kinase 2 (PYK2) was phosphorylated at Tyr-402 in response to CKLF1 and this phosphorylation was apparently suppressed by phospholipase C-gamma inhibitor U73122, but not extracellular Ca(2+) chelator EGTA. Furthermore, after transfection of dominant-negative mutant PYK2 plasmid, the chemotaxis upon CKLF1 was significantly attenuated in SH-SY5Y cells. Concluding, CKLF1 stimulates the migration of SH-SY5Y cells dose-dependently by activating non-extracellular Ca(2+)-dependent tyrosine kinases pathway and inducing actin polymerization.