Cell Adhesion Strength Is Controlled by Intermolecular Spacing of Adhesion Receptors

Spatial patterning of biochemical cues on the micro- and nanometer scale controls numerous cellular processes such as spreading, adhesion, migration, and proliferation. Using force microscopy we show that the lateral spacing of individual integrin receptor-ligand bonds determines the strength of cel...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Biophysical journal 2010-02, Vol.98 (4), p.543-551
Main Authors: Selhuber-Unkel, C., Erdmann, T., López-García, M., Kessler, H., Schwarz, U.S., Spatz, J.P.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adhesive bonding
Adhesive strength
Amino Acid Sequence
Animals
Biochemistry
Cell Adhesion
Cell adhesion & migration
Cell Line
Cells
Cellular Biophysics and Electrophysiology
Contact
Cues
Detachment
Elasticity
Integrins - metabolism
Kinetics
Ligands
Mathematical models
Microscopy
Molecules
Nanotechnology
Peptides, Cyclic - chemistry
Peptides, Cyclic - metabolism
Strength
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Summary:Spatial patterning of biochemical cues on the micro- and nanometer scale controls numerous cellular processes such as spreading, adhesion, migration, and proliferation. Using force microscopy we show that the lateral spacing of individual integrin receptor-ligand bonds determines the strength of cell adhesion. For spacings ≥90 nm, focal contact formation was inhibited and the detachment forces as well as the stiffness of the cell body were significantly decreased compared to spacings ≤50 nm. Analyzing cell detachment at the subcellular level revealed that rupture forces of focal contacts increase with loading rate as predicted by a theoretical model for adhesion clusters. Furthermore, we show that the weak link between the intra- and extracellular space is at the intracellular side of a focal contact. Our results show that cells can amplify small differences in adhesive cues to large differences in cell adhesion strength.
ISSN:0006-3495
1542-0086
DOI:10.1016/j.bpj.2009.11.001