Title:	Role of Actin filaments in correlating nuclear shape and cell spreading
Authors:	Vishavkarma, Renu Reghavan, Swetavalli Kuyyamudi, Chandrashekar Majumder, Abhijit Dhawan, Jyotsna Pullarkat, Pramod A.
Issue Date:	Sep-2014
Publisher:	Public Library of Science
Citation:	PLoS ONE, 2014, Vol.9, pe107895
Abstract:	It is well known that substrate properties like stiffness and adhesivity influence stem cell morphology and differentiation. Recent experiments show that cell morphology influences nuclear geometry and hence gene expression profile. The mechanism by which surface properties regulate cell and nuclear properties is only beginning to be understood. Direct transmission of forces as well as chemical signalling are involved in this process. Here, we investigate the formal aspect by studying the correlation between cell spreading and nuclear deformation using Mesenchymal stem cells under a wide variety of conditions. It is observed that a robust quantitative relation holds between the cell and nuclear projected areas, irrespective of how the cell area is modified or when various cytoskeletal or nuclear components are perturbed. By studying the role of actin stress fibers in compressing the nucleus we propose that nuclear compression by stress fibers can lead to enhanced cell spreading due to an interplay between elastic and adhesion factors. The significance of myosin-II in regulating this process is also explored. We demonstrate this effect using a simple technique to apply external compressive loads on the nucleus.
Description:	open Access
URI:	http://hdl.handle.net/2289/6164
ISSN:	1932-6203(Online)
Alternative Location:	http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0107895
Copyright:	2014 Public Library of Science
Appears in Collections:	Research Papers (SCM)

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