Abstract
Mechanical forces influence many aspects of cell behavior. Mechanotransduction is classically described as the process whereby forces acting on the cell surface are transduced into biochemical functions, eventually reaching the cell nucleus. While much has been studied about the role of the proteins forming the focal adhesions and cytoskeletal actin to control cell mechanics, the role of the lipid moieties, both present in the plasma membrane and the nuclear envelope, has remained elusive. Here we will employ a combination of cell biology, Mass Spectrometry and advanced Atomic Force Microscopy/Magnetic Tweezers to dissect the lipidic molecular determinants that govern the mechanical stability of individual cells and isolated nuclei.
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