Microridges are laterally elongated, actin-rich protrusions often found on the apical surface of superficial epithelial cells of zebrafish, where they form evenly spaced, maze-like patterns that continuously remodel through fission and fusion. These conserved structures play key roles in mucus retention and in organizing surface molecules. The studies on microridges are relatively low compared...
Kinesin motors are essential for intracellular organelle transport. While extensive studies have focused on understanding their collective motion, the reasons for the wide distribution of cargo speeds in cells remain poorly understood. In this study, we examine the relationship between motor numbers, cellular crowding, and cargo velocity during cargo transport in vitro. Our findings indicate...
Substrate geometry affects collective cell migration. Recently, curvotaxis is identified where cells exhibit different preference toward curvature. To further explore the curvotaxis, we fabricated pneumatic-driven microdomes to create the substrate curvature from flat to positively curved surface and observed a novel migratory behavior: epithelial (MDCK) cells exhibit a strong, centripetal...
Integrin activation dynamically orchestrates adhesion formation and cell motility within the heterogeneous extracellular space. However, mechanosensitive regulation of integrin β6 remains poorly understood. Using a traction‑free RGD membrane, integrin β6 colocalizes and nucleates micrometer‑scale clusters of viscous RGD ligands by 15 minutes and subsequently dissipates by 60 minutes. Swapping...
How do cells physically divide? Successful mitosis requires coordinated cortical dynamics that mechanically drive cell morphological changes in space and time. Yet, the field lacks a unified, quantitative description of such physical processes due to limitations in existing methodologies. Here, we present live-cell membrane tension measurements during mitosis in mouse embryonic stem cells....
Sarcopenia, a prevalent muscle disease characterized by muscle mass and strength reduction, is associated with impaired skeletal muscle regeneration. However, the influence of the biomechanical properties of sarcopenic skeletal muscle on the efficiency of the myogenic program remains unclear. Herein, we established a mouse model of sarcopenia and observed a reduction in stiffness within the...
During development, cells migrate throughout the body along morphogenesis, often encountering mechanical stress that deforms their nuclei, potentially influencing gene expression. In zebrafish embryos, trunk neural crest cells (TNCs) are an embryonic cell type that serves as an ideal model for studying in vivo cell squeezing. They originate from a progenitor region with large interstitial...
Chromatin dynamically alters according to cell cycles and DNA metabolic events. One key factor for the chromatin dynamics is histone chaperones that serve nucleosome assembly and disassembly and play important roles in regulating gene expression as well as for maintaining epigenetic information. It has been reported that nucleosome arrangements are modulated by bromodomain-containing AAA+...
Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) integrity is essential for proper cellular function and relies on the coordinated activities of several mitochondrial proteins. In this study, we employed two single-molecule fluorescence-based approaches—single-molecule Förster resonance energy transfer (smFRET) and nuclease-induced stepwise photodropping (NISP)—to investigate the mechanistic roles of the...
In addition to biochemical factors, physical factors of the cellular microenvironment have been widely recognized as important in determining cell behaviors. For example, substrate stiffness increases cell spread area, proliferation, and osteogenic differentiation in 2D cell culture. In contrast, cells may exhibit different responses to substrate stiffness in three-dimensional (3D) cell...
Single-molecule and single-cell force measurements provide essential quantitative insights into the thermodynamics and mechanics of complex biological systems. We utilize atomic force microscopy (AFM) to analyze materials across a range of length scales, from individual biopolymers to live cells. At the molecular level, we explore the force response, equilibrium states, and dynamic properties...
Humic substances play critical roles in environmental remediation and soil fertility, yet natural humification requires decades to centuries. Here, we report a synergistic approach combining microbial fermentation with manganese dioxide (MnO₂) catalysis to produce mature humic-like substances (HLS) within 15 days. This work represents the first systematic demonstration of yeast-mineral synergy...
