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The Role of Vinculin in the Regulation of the Mechanical Properties of Cells

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Abstract

Vinculin couples as a focal adhesion protein the extracellular matrix (ECM) through integrins to the actomyosin cytoskeleton. During the last years vinculin has become the focus of cell mechanical measurements and a key protein regulating the transmission of contractile forces. In earlier reports vinculin has been described as an inhibitor of cell migration on planar substrates, because knock-out of vinculin in F9 mouse embryonic carcinoma cells and mouse embryonic fibroblasts showed increased cell motility on 2D substrates. The role of vinculin in cell invasion through a 3D extracellular matrix is still fragmentarily investigated. This review presents vinculin in its role as a regulator of cellular mechanical functions. Contractile force generation is reduced when vinculin is absent, or enhanced when vinculin is present. Moreover, the generation of contractile forces is a prerequisite for cell invasion through a dense 3D ECM, where the pore-size is smaller than the diameter of the cell nucleus (<2 μm). Measurements of cell’s biophysical properties will be presented. In summary, vinculin’s leading role among focal adhesion proteins in regulating the mechanical properties of cells will be discussed.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the Deutsche Krebshilfe (107384) and the DFG (FA336/2-1).

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  1. Center for Medical Physics and Technology, Biophysics Group, Friedrich-Alexander-University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Henkestrasse 91, Erlangen, 91052, Germany

    Claudia Tanja Mierke

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Mierke, C.T. The Role of Vinculin in the Regulation of the Mechanical Properties of Cells. Cell Biochem Biophys 53, 115–126 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12013-009-9047-6

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