Biomechanical regulation of epigenetics and chromatin organization in single living cells

Biomechanics;Cell Mechanics;Mechanotransduction;Epigenetics;Chromatin Organization

Tajik, Arash

关键词: Biomechanics;    Cell Mechanics;    Mechanotransduction;    Epigenetics;    Chromatin Organization;   

Others  :  https://www.ideals.illinois.edu/bitstream/handle/2142/78729/TAJIK-DISSERTATION-2015.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y

美国|英语

来源: The Illinois Digital Environment for Access to Learning and Scholarship

【 摘 要 】

Mechanical forces are known to play a key role in regulating various cellular functions that control human development, cancer, disease, and aging. It, however, remains elusive how mechanical cues regulate biochemical mechanisms in the nucleus that control cellular decision-making. These mechanisms include epigenetic modification, chromatin organization, and gene expression. It is, therefore, highly important to investigate force-induced regulation of these mechanisms to better understand human physiology and disease.In this research, we aim at answering two key questions: one, how mechanical forces regulate epigenetics in tumor repopulating cells (TRCs), and two, how these forces unfold chromatin and induce gene expression in single living cells. Our findings suggest that mechanical forces play critical roles in regulating nuclear structure and function. Biomechanical cues can propagate deep inside the nucleus and regulate epigenetics, chromatin organization, and gene expression.