Key points from article :
“Stiffness in our tissues and the resulting cellular tension changes in most diseases, as well as in aging itself,”- Dan Winer, associate professor at Buck Institute.
“Mechanical force readies the immune system in the face of danger.”
Dendritic Cells grown at physiological resting stiffness showed reduced proliferation, activation and cytokine production.
"Cells grown under high stiffness mimicked fibro-inflammatory disease,” - Mainak Chakraborty.
Findings were not limited to mouse DCs, as human DCs also showed enhanced markers of activity under higher tension.
The ability to track the tension could provide a biomarker of aging and make it easier to test new drugs.
Using plastic plates to grow cells exerts tension thousands of times higher than what a cell feels in the body.
Adopting new research culturing techniques in immunology might better mimic the physiology inside the body.” - Winer
Research by Buck institute published in the Journal Cell Reports.
