Biomechanical properties of intermediate filaments: from tissues to single filaments and back

@article{Kreplak2007BiomechanicalPO,
  title={Biomechanical properties of intermediate filaments: from tissues to single filaments and back},
  author={Laurent Kreplak and Douglas S. Fudge},
  journal={BioEssays},
  year={2007},
  volume={29}
}
The animal cell cytoskeleton consists of three interconnected filament systems: actin‐containing microfilaments (MFs), microtubules (MTs), and the lesser known intermediate filaments (IFs). All IF proteins share a common tripartite domain structure and the ability to assemble into 8–12 nm wide filaments. Electron microscopy data suggest that IFs are built according to a completely different plan from that of MFs and MTs. IFs are known to impart mechanical stability to cells and tissues but… Expand
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A multi-scale approach to understand the mechanobiology of intermediate filaments.
TLDR
The mechanical design of IFs is discussed by combining the experimental data with recent multi-scale modeling results and how mechanical forces may interact with IFs in vivo both directly and through the activation of other proteins such as kinases are discussed. Expand
Intermediate Filaments from Tissue Integrity to Single Molecule Mechanics
TLDR
The role of IFs as master integrators of cell and tissue mechanics is discussed, and how changes in IF gene expression, network assembly dynamics, and post-translational modifications can tune IF properties to adapt cell and tissues mechanics to changing environments is highlighted. Expand
Mechanical players-The role of intermediate filaments in cell mechanics and organization.
  • M. Buehler
  • Biology, Medicine
  • Biophysical journal
  • 2013
TLDR
The mechanisms by which vimentin intermediate filaments control the stiffness of eukaryotic cells are explained, identifying their role in affecting the stiffness in the cell cortex and the cell’s cytoplasm as well as the manner in which they contribute to intracellular mechanics. Expand
Physical properties of cytoplasmic intermediate filaments.
TLDR
The assembly mechanism is presented, followed by the mechanical properties of individual filaments, network and structure formation due to electrostatic interactions, and eventually the mechanics of in vitro and cellular networks. Expand
Tensile properties of single desmin intermediate filaments.
TLDR
An experimental approach to measure the extensibility and the tensile strength of in vitro reconstituted desmin IFs adsorbed to a solid support yielded an average stress-strain curve for a single desmin filament, which had a pronounced strain-hardening regime above 50% extension and a tensilestrength of at least 240 MPa. Expand
Computational and theoretical modeling of intermediate filament networks: Structure, mechanics and disease
Intermediate filaments, in addition to microtubules and actin microfilaments, are one of the three major components of the cytoskeleton in eukaryotic cells. It was discovered during the recent… Expand
Nanomechanical properties of vimentin intermediate filament dimers.
TLDR
A nanomechanical analysis of vimentin intermediate filament dimers, the basic building blocks of intermediate filaments, is reported, and it is found that mechanical stretch induces a transition from alpha-helices to beta-sheets, a phenomenon known as alpha-beta transition. Expand
Sequence-resolved free energy profiles of stress-bearing vimentin intermediate filaments
TLDR
Single-molecule force spectroscopy by optical tweezers is used to assess the folding and stability of coil 2B of the model IF protein vimentin and reveals a tripartite stability of the coiled coil: a labile N-terminal half, followed by a medium stability section and a highly stable region at the far C-terminals. Expand
An Approach to Visualize the Deformation of the Intermediate Filament Cytoskeleton in Response to Locally Applied Forces
The intermediate filament (IF) cytoskeleton plays an important role in integrating biomechanical pathways associated with the actin and microtubule cytoskeleton. Vimentin is a type III IF protein… Expand
The contribution of the N- and C- terminal domains to the stretching properties of intermediate filaments
The animal cell cytoskeleton consists of three interconnected filament systems: actin containing microfilaments (MFs), microtubules (MTs), and intermediate filaments (IFs). Among these three… Expand
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References

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TLDR
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TLDR
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TLDR
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TLDR
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TLDR
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TLDR
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TLDR
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TLDR
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TLDR
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TLDR
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