Line 97: | Line 97: | ||
cytoskeleton apparently plays an important role as several mechanosensitive channels comprise domains that can interact with cytoskeleton. | cytoskeleton apparently plays an important role as several mechanosensitive channels comprise domains that can interact with cytoskeleton. | ||
</p> | </p> | ||
− | <div style = " | + | <div style = "clear:left;"> |
<figure data-ref="1"> | <figure data-ref="1"> | ||
<img onclick="resize(this);" class="ui medium image" src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2016/8/88/T--Slovenia--3.2.1.png" > | <img onclick="resize(this);" class="ui medium image" src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2016/8/88/T--Slovenia--3.2.1.png" > | ||
Line 103: | Line 103: | ||
</figure> | </figure> | ||
</div> | </div> | ||
− | + | <p>This mechanism, serves as a force-sensing system <x-ref>Haswell2011, Zheng2013</x-ref>. Furthermore, it has already been shown that living organisms can detect | |
+ | and respond to mechanical stress generated by ultrasound, which represents an external stimulus with many potential applications <x-ref>Ibsen2015</x-ref>. Ultrasound | ||
+ | offers remarkable advantages over other external stimuli used for targeted cell stimulation. In our project we aimed to explore the potential of mechanosensors and to | ||
+ | improve the sensitivity of cells to mechanical stimulation with the idea of designing ultrasound-responsive devices. | ||
+ | </p> | ||
Revision as of 00:09, 17 October 2016
Cells interact with other cells and environment in various ways in order to appropriately respond to the microenvironment changes. One important extracellular physical signal are mechanical forces and adaptation upon mechanical stimuli is crucial for regulating the cell volume, signalization, growth, cell to cell interactions and overall survival.
Mechanical forces such as changes in osmolality, fluid flow, gravity or direct pressure result in changes in tension of the phospholipid bilayer and arrangement of
the cellular cytoskeleton. The detailed mechanism of mechanosensing is not known, however most mechanosensitive receptors respond to mechanical stimuli through opening
of the channel pore and allowing calcium ions to enter the cell
This mechanism, serves as a force-sensing system