Kot K. The influence of mechanical stress on the metabolism of connective tissue structural components in rat fibroblasts culture

The object of study: Relationship between the deformation of fibroblasts under mechanical stress and their contractile system specificities, the synthesis and the breakdown of collagen and glycosaminoglycans, proliferative potential, and the molecular structures of cell deformation signal transfer chain. Purpose: clarification of the molecular mechanisms of static and variable mechanical strain action on the patterns of fibroblasts metabolism, proliferation and migration and identification of some stress signal transduction chain units in them in vitro. Methods: cultivation, transfection of fibroblasts in culture, radioisotope analysis, ion exchange chromatography, isoelectric focusing, phase-contrast and laser epifluorescence microscopy, spectroscopy and scanning fluorometry, immunochemical and imunomagnetic methods, statistical analysis. Theoretical and practical results, novelty: The new models of static and alternating cell deformation in culture were created; features of fibroblasts orientational distribution in two dimensional culture under deformation were first time characterized; was shown that under mechanical strain proliferative potential, fibroblast division rate, and metabolism of collagen and glycosaminoglycans increases, the degree of hydroxylation decreases, the total actin level rises and a non-standard for non-muscle cells alpha-form appears. Was proved that the mechanical stress signal transduction chain in fibroblasts includes N-glycans of the cell surface, alpha2beta1-integrins, and cytoskeletal actin filaments. The calcium ions from intracellular stores are involved in the response of fibroblasts to the action of stretching. Field of application and performance: Pediatrics, gerontology, sports medicine, surgery, orthopedics, various etiologies connective tissue damages cell therapy.