Journal of Biomechanics
Volume 38, Issue 9 , Pages 1751-1759, September 2005

Flow-induced hardening of endothelial nucleus as an intracellular stress-bearing organelle

  • Shinji Deguchi

      Affiliations

    • Department of Bioengineering and Robotics, Graduate School of Engineering, Tohoku University, Sendai 9808579, Japan
    • Department of Energy Systems Engineering, Graduate School of Natural Science and Technology, Okayama University, Okayama 7008530, Japan
    • Corresponding Author InformationCorresponding author. Tel.: +81862518053; fax: +81862518266.
    • ,
  • Kenjiro Maeda

      Affiliations

    • Department of Bioengineering and Robotics, Graduate School of Engineering, Tohoku University, Sendai 9808579, Japan
    • ,
  • Toshiro Ohashi

      Affiliations

    • Department of Bioengineering and Robotics, Graduate School of Engineering, Tohoku University, Sendai 9808579, Japan
    • ,
  • Masaaki Sato

      Affiliations

    • Department of Bioengineering and Robotics, Graduate School of Engineering, Tohoku University, Sendai 9808579, Japan

Accepted 16 June 2005. published online 11 July 2005.

Abstract 

The mechanical contribution of nucleus in adherent cells to bearing intracellular stresses remains unclear. In this paper, the effects of fluid shear stress on morphology and elastic properties of endothelial nuclei were investigated. The morphological observation suggested that the nuclei in the cytoplasm were being vertically compressed under static conditions, whereas they were elongated and more compressed with a fluid shear stress of 2Pa (20dyn/cm2) onto the cell. The elongated nuclei remained the shape even after they were isolated from the cells. The micropipette aspiration technique on the isolated nuclei revealed that the elastic modulus of elongated nuclei, 0.62±0.15kPa (, mean±SD), was significantly higher than that of control nuclei, 0.42±0.12kPa (), suggesting that the nuclei remodeled their structure due to the shear stress. Based of these results and a transmission electron microscopy, a possibility of the nucleus as an intracellular compression-bearing organelle was proposed, which will impact interpretation of stress distribution in adherent cells.

Keywords: Cell mechanics, Nucleus, Mechanical properties, Shear stress, Mechanotransduction

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PII: S0021-9290(05)00273-3

doi:10.1016/j.jbiomech.2005.06.003

Journal of Biomechanics
Volume 38, Issue 9 , Pages 1751-1759, September 2005

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