Authors: Giulio Capponi, Martina Zambito, Igor Neri, Francesco Cottone, Maurizio Mattarelli, Massimo Vassalli, Silvia Caponi, Tullio Florio

Journal: Nanomaterials (2022)

Institution: Università di Perugia

Research Areas: Materials of Science

Cell Lines: A1 (immortalized mouse Mes-c-myc A1 cell)

Summary: Mechanotransduction refers to the cellular ability to sense mechanical stimuli from the surrounding environment and convert them into biochemical signals that regulate cellular physiology and homeostasis. Mechanosensitive ion channels (MSCs) play a crucial role in mechanotransduction. These transmembrane proteins directly react to mechanical cues by triggering the onset of an ionic current. To measure this mechanism, the authors proposed an open-hardware approach to stimulate single adherent cells through controlled microindentation, using a 3D-printed actuation platform. They validated the device by measuring the mechanosensitivity of a neural mice cell line where the expression level and activity of Piezo1 were genetically and pharmacologically manipulated. HoloMonitor M4 was used to measure the morphometrical characterization for selecting stimulate protocol.

Keywords: Cell morphology, mechanosensitivity, mechanobiology, mechanotransduction, 3d printing, nanomaterials piezo1