Extra-cellular matrix in multicellular aggregates acts as a pressure sensor controlling cell proliferation and motility
Abstract
Imposed deformations play an important role in morphogenesis and tissue homeostasis, both in normal and pathological conditions. To perceive mechanical perturbations of different types and magnitudes, tissues need appropriate detectors, with a compliance that matches the perturbation amplitude. By comparing results of selective osmotic compressions of CT26 cells within multicellular aggregates and global aggregate compressions, we show that global compressions have a strong impact on the aggregates growth and internal cell motility, while selective compressions of same magnitude have almost no effect. Both compressions alter the volume of individual cells in the same way over a shor-timescale, but, by draining the water out of the extracellular matrix, the global one imposes a residual compressive mechanical stress on the cells over a long-timescale, while the selective one does not. We conclude that the extracellular matrix is as a sensor that mechanically regulates cell proliferation and migration in a 3D environment.
Data availability
Data concerning figures 2, 3, 4, 5 and appendix B are available at the following URL: https://osf.io/n6ra2/?view_only=059da2ebcd064b75bd12c0c2008b9a6a
Article and author information
Author details
Funding
Agence Nationale de la Recherche (ANR-13-BSV5-0008-01)
- Giovanni Cappello
Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (MechanoBio 2018)
- Giovanni Cappello
Ligue Contre le Cancer
- Sylvain Monnier
Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (PC201407)
- Giovanni Cappello
The funders had no role in study design, data collection and interpretation, or the decision to submit the work for publication.
Reviewing Editor
- Chase P. Broedersz, Arnold Sommerfeld Center for Theoretical Physics, LMU Munich, Germany
Publication history
- Received: September 19, 2020
- Accepted: March 8, 2021
- Accepted Manuscript published: March 11, 2021 (version 1)
- Version of Record published: April 23, 2021 (version 2)
Copyright
© 2021, Dolega et al.
This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License permitting unrestricted use and redistribution provided that the original author and source are credited.
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