Skip to main content
bioRxiv
  • Home
  • About
  • Submit
  • ALERTS / RSS
Advanced Search
New Results

Human Mammary Cells in a Mature, Stratified Epithelial Layer Flatten and Stiffen Compared to Confluent and Single Cells

Hyunsu Lee, View ORCID ProfileKeith Bonin, View ORCID ProfileMartin Guthold
doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2020.03.08.982660
Hyunsu Lee
1Department of Physics, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC 27109
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Keith Bonin
1Department of Physics, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC 27109
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
  • ORCID record for Keith Bonin
Martin Guthold
1Department of Physics, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC 27109
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
  • ORCID record for Martin Guthold
  • For correspondence: gutholdm@wfu.edu
  • Abstract
  • Full Text
  • Info/History
  • Metrics
  • Preview PDF
Loading

Abstract

The epithelium forms a protective barrier against external biological, chemical and physical insults. So far, AFM-based, micro-mechanical measurements have only been performed on single cells and confluent cells, but not yet on cells in the physiologically relevant, mature epithelial layer.

Using a combination of atomic force, fluorescence and confocal microscopy, we determined the changes in stiffness, morphology and actin distribution of human mammary epithelial cells (HMECs) as they transition from single cells to confluency to a mature epithelial layer.

Single cells have a tall, round (planoconvex) morphology, have actin stress fibers at the base, have diffuse cortical actin, and have a stiffness of 1 kPa. Confluent cells become flatter, basal actin stress fibers start to disappear, and actin accumulates laterally where cells abut. Overall stiffness is still 1 kPa with two-fold higher stiffness in the abutting regions. Cells in an epithelial layer are flat on top and seven times stiffer (average, 7 kPa) than single and confluent cells. Epithelial layer cells show strong actin accumulation in the regions where cells adjoin and in the apical regions. Stiffness is significantly enhanced in the regions of adjoining cells, compared to the central regions of cells.

Physiologically, this previously unrecognized, drastic stiffness increase may be important to the protective function of the epithelium.

Copyright 
The copyright holder for this preprint is the author/funder, who has granted bioRxiv a license to display the preprint in perpetuity. It is made available under a CC-BY 4.0 International license.
Back to top
PreviousNext
Posted March 09, 2020.
Download PDF
Email

Thank you for your interest in spreading the word about bioRxiv.

NOTE: Your email address is requested solely to identify you as the sender of this article.

Enter multiple addresses on separate lines or separate them with commas.
Human Mammary Cells in a Mature, Stratified Epithelial Layer Flatten and Stiffen Compared to Confluent and Single Cells
(Your Name) has forwarded a page to you from bioRxiv
(Your Name) thought you would like to see this page from the bioRxiv website.
CAPTCHA
This question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions.
Share
Human Mammary Cells in a Mature, Stratified Epithelial Layer Flatten and Stiffen Compared to Confluent and Single Cells
Hyunsu Lee, Keith Bonin, Martin Guthold
bioRxiv 2020.03.08.982660; doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2020.03.08.982660
Digg logo Reddit logo Twitter logo Facebook logo Google logo LinkedIn logo Mendeley logo
Citation Tools
Human Mammary Cells in a Mature, Stratified Epithelial Layer Flatten and Stiffen Compared to Confluent and Single Cells
Hyunsu Lee, Keith Bonin, Martin Guthold
bioRxiv 2020.03.08.982660; doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2020.03.08.982660

Citation Manager Formats

  • BibTeX
  • Bookends
  • EasyBib
  • EndNote (tagged)
  • EndNote 8 (xml)
  • Medlars
  • Mendeley
  • Papers
  • RefWorks Tagged
  • Ref Manager
  • RIS
  • Zotero
  • Tweet Widget
  • Facebook Like
  • Google Plus One

Subject Area

  • Biophysics
Subject Areas
All Articles
  • Animal Behavior and Cognition (3701)
  • Biochemistry (7818)
  • Bioengineering (5695)
  • Bioinformatics (21340)
  • Biophysics (10602)
  • Cancer Biology (8205)
  • Cell Biology (11973)
  • Clinical Trials (138)
  • Developmental Biology (6785)
  • Ecology (10424)
  • Epidemiology (2065)
  • Evolutionary Biology (13906)
  • Genetics (9731)
  • Genomics (13108)
  • Immunology (8169)
  • Microbiology (20064)
  • Molecular Biology (7875)
  • Neuroscience (43167)
  • Paleontology (321)
  • Pathology (1281)
  • Pharmacology and Toxicology (2266)
  • Physiology (3362)
  • Plant Biology (7252)
  • Scientific Communication and Education (1316)
  • Synthetic Biology (2012)
  • Systems Biology (5550)
  • Zoology (1133)