Universal physical responses to stretch in the living cell

Xavier Trepat, Linhong Deng, Steven S. An, Daniel Navajas, Daniel J. Tschumperlin, William T. Gerthoffer, James P. Butler and Jeffrey J. Fredberg ()
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Xavier Trepat: Program in Molecular and Integrative Physiological Sciences, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA
Linhong Deng: Program in Molecular and Integrative Physiological Sciences, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA
Steven S. An: Program in Molecular and Integrative Physiological Sciences, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA
Daniel Navajas: Unitat de Biofísica i Bioenginyeria, Universitat de Barcelona-IDIBAPS, Ciber Enfermedades Respiratorias, and Institut de Bioenginyeria de Catalunya, 08036 Barcelona, Spain
Daniel J. Tschumperlin: Program in Molecular and Integrative Physiological Sciences, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA
William T. Gerthoffer: School of Medicine, University of Nevada, Reno, Nevada 89557, USA
James P. Butler: Program in Molecular and Integrative Physiological Sciences, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA
Jeffrey J. Fredberg: Program in Molecular and Integrative Physiological Sciences, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA

Nature, 2007, vol. 447, issue 7144, 592-595

Abstract: A stretch in the cells How do cells in our body go about their routine mechanical business of stretching, contracting and remodelling? This question has far-reaching implications for understanding airway narrowing in asthma, cell invasion in cancer and vessel constriction in cardiovascular disease. The answer, arrived at in a novel experimental system measuring the 'stretch' of human airway smooth muscle cells, is that the cell has much in common with familiar materials including tomato ketchup, shaving foam and toothpaste. These materials fluidize when deformed, as do granular materials including sugar in a bowl or coffee beans. Such materials act as a glass-like intermediate form of matter, neither solid nor fluid but retaining features of both.

Date: 2007
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DOI: 10.1038/nature05824

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