Adhesion proteins recruitment in response to a functional mechanical stimulus

M. CALDAROLA; C. VON BILDERLING; M. E. MASIP; L. I. PIETRASANTA; A. V. BRAGAS

Lucca (Barga)

Conferencia; Gordon Research Conference ?Single Molecule Approaches to Biology?; 2014

Gordon Research Conference

We present a method that combines AFM and fluorescence microscopy to evaluate the recruitment of adhesion proteins such as vinculin, FAK and zyxin triggered by applying nN forces to live cells. In response to an external force, applied with a fibronectin modified AFM probe, we observed the development of nascent adhesion sites, evidenced from the accumulation of vinculin and FAK at the position where the force was applied. For FAK we were able to quantify the recruitment time in the formation of a new adhesion site. In addition, we analyzed the zyxin spatial distribution remodeling in mature focal adhesions as a function of the applied force.