Microrheology of Microtubule-Actin-Vimentin Composite Cytoskeletal Networks

ORAL

Abstract

Mechanics of the cytoskeleton is known to be responsible for maintaining cell mechanical integrity and determining cellular functions. We develop a method that enables us to reconstruct a three-component in-vitro network composed of intermediate filaments (vimentin filaments), microtubules and F-actin filaments, which are three fundamental cytoskeletal components. This composition is more physiologically relevant compared with any of the previously reconstituted cytoskeletal networks, which are composed of one or two components only. We investigate the structure and mechanical properties of this multicomponent cytoskeletal network using a combination of several microscopies and microrheology. We show that vimentin filaments couple the other cytoskeletal filaments together by introducing steric constraints between cytoskeletal polymers; these inter-network interactions extend the composite network elastic behavior to a longer time scale, prolong the network relaxation time, and facilitate the stress propagation within the network. These findings are helpful to deepen our understanding of the mechanical role vimentin plays in regulating cellular activities.

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Presenters

  • Yinan Shen

    Department of Physics & SEAS, Harvard University

Authors

  • Yinan Shen

    Department of Physics & SEAS, Harvard University

  • Marjan Shayegan

    Department of Physics & SEAS, Harvard University

  • Arturo Moncho

    Department of Applied Physics & Institute Carlos I for Theoretical and Computational Physics, University of Granada

  • Hui Li

    CAS Key Lab of Soft Matter Physics, Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences

  • Huayin Wu

    School of engineering and applied science, Harvard University, Department of Physics & SEAS, Harvard University

  • Weichao Shi

    Department of Physics & SEAS, Harvard University

  • Songlei Liu

    Harvard Medical School, Harvard University

  • Jing Xia

    Department of Physics & SEAS, Harvard University, Harvard University

  • Dianzhuo Wang

    Department of Physics & SEAS, Harvard University

  • Liheng Cai

    Materials Science and Engineering and Chemical Engineering, University of Virginia, Materials Science and Engineering, university of virginia, Department of Physics & SEAS, Harvard University

  • Meng Zhang

    Department of Physics & SEAS, Harvard University

  • Ruihua Ding

    Department of Physics & SEAS, Harvard University

  • Frederick MacKintosh

    Chemistry, Physics and Astronomy & Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Rice University, Rice University

  • David A Weitz

    Physics and Applied Physics, Harvard University, Harvard University, School of engineering and applied science, Harvard University, Department of Physics & SEAS, Harvard University