International Journal of Molecular Sciences

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Dear Colleagues,

Cells in vivo reside within a complex mechanical microenvironment (i.e., fluid shear stress, dynamic strain, mechanical force, osmotic shock, matrix rigidity and morphology), which plays an indispensable role in regulating cell functions of physiological and pathological nature. Cells can sense, respond and adapt to mechanical cues and stimuli, and transduce crucial signals to shape their functions and determine their fate. Gaining insight into the biomechanical interaction between cell and its microenvironment and the molecular regulation from sensing to reaction to feedback is therefore of great importance for understanding numerous physiological and pathological processes, and stimulating new strategies in drug design and discovery. As a result, a considerable effort has been devoted to elucidating the molecular mechanism and developing potential therapies for diseases.In this Special Issue, we are collecting original articles and reviews that provide new insights into the interactions between cell and its mechanical microenvironment, focusing on mechanosensing and mechanotransduction.

Potential topics include, but are not limited to:

Mechanosensing and mechanotransduction;
Receptor-ligand interaction;
Intracellular and intercellular signaling;
Cytoskeleton dynamics;
Ion channels;
Mechanical force;
Extracellular matrix properties;
Mechanobiology and disease.

Dr. Fan Song
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Molecular Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

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Keywords

mechanosensing and mechanotransduction
receptor-ligand interaction
intracellular and intercellular signaling
cytoskeleton dynamics
ion channels
mechanical force
extracellular matrix properties
mechanobiology and disease

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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26 pages, 4214 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Increased H3K9me3 and F-Actin Reorganization in the Rapid Adaptive Response to Hypergravity in Human T Lymphocytes

by Kendra Wernlé, Cora S. Thiel and Oliver Ullrich

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(24), 17232; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms242417232 - 07 Dec 2023

Viewed by 834

Abstract

Our study explored the impact of hypergravity on human T cells, which experience additional acceleration forces beyond Earth’s gravity due to various factors, such as pulsatile blood flow, and technology, such as high-performance aircraft flights or spaceflights. We investigated the histone modifications Histone 3 lysine 4 and 9 trimethylation (H3K4me3 and H3K9me3, respectively), as well as the structural and cytoskeletal organization of Jurkat T cells in response to hypergravity. Histone modifications play a crucial role in gene regulation, chromatin organization and DNA repair. In response to hypergravity, we found only minimal changes of H3K4me3 and a rapid increase in H3K9me3, which was sustained for up to 15 min and then returned to control levels after 1 h. Furthermore, rapid changes in F-actin fluorescence were observed within seconds of hypergravity exposure, indicating filament depolymerization and cytoskeletal restructuring, which subsequently recovered after 1 h of hypergravity. Our study demonstrated the rapid, dynamic and adaptive cellular response to hypergravity, particularly in terms of histone modifications and cytoskeletal changes. These responses are likely necessary for maintaining genome stability and structural integrity under hypergravity conditions as they are constantly occurring in the human body during blood cell circulation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biomechanical Interaction between Cell and Its Microenvironment)

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Review

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18 pages, 17059 KiB

Open AccessReview

Osmotic Pressure and Its Biological Implications

by Songjie Zheng, Yan Li, Yingfeng Shao, Long Li and Fan Song

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25(6), 3310; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms25063310 - 14 Mar 2024

Viewed by 877

Abstract

Gaining insight into osmotic pressure and its biological implications is pivotal for revealing mechanisms underlying numerous fundamental biological processes across scales and will contribute to the biomedical and pharmaceutical fields. This review aims to provide an overview of the current understanding, focusing on two central issues: (i) how to determine theoretically osmotic pressure and (ii) how osmotic pressure affects important biological activities. More specifically, we discuss the representative theoretical equations and models for different solutions, emphasizing their applicability and limitations, and summarize the effect of osmotic pressure on lipid phase separation, cell division, and differentiation, focusing on the mechanisms underlying the osmotic pressure dependence of these biological processes. We highlight that new theory of osmotic pressure applicable for all experimentally feasible temperatures and solute concentrations needs to be developed, and further studies regarding the role of osmotic pressure in other biological processes should also be carried out to improve our comprehensive and in-depth understanding. Moreover, we point out the importance and challenges of developing techniques for the in vivo measurement of osmotic pressure. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biomechanical Interaction between Cell and Its Microenvironment)

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Figure 1

19 pages, 2333 KiB

Open AccessReview

Receptor–Ligand Binding: Effect of Mechanical Factors

by Ruotian Du, Long Li, Jing Ji and Yubo Fan

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(10), 9062; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms24109062 - 21 May 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1766

Abstract

Gaining insight into the in situ receptor–ligand binding is pivotal for revealing the molecular mechanisms underlying the physiological and pathological processes and will contribute to drug discovery and biomedical application. An important issue involved is how the receptor–ligand binding responds to mechanical stimuli. This review aims to provide an overview of the current understanding of the effect of several representative mechanical factors, such as tension, shear stress, stretch, compression, and substrate stiffness on receptor–ligand binding, wherein the biomedical implications are focused. In addition, we highlight the importance of synergistic development of experimental and computational methods for fully understanding the in situ receptor–ligand binding, and further studies should focus on the coupling effects of these mechanical factors. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biomechanical Interaction between Cell and Its Microenvironment)

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