@article {217551, title = {Microtubule assembly is regulated by externally applied strain in cultured smooth muscle cells}, journal = {J Cell Sci}, volume = {111 ( Pt 22)}, year = {1998}, month = {1998 Nov}, pages = {3379-87}, abstract = {Mechanical forces clearly regulate the development and phenotype of a variety of tissues and cultured cells. However, it is not clear how mechanical information is transduced intracellularly to alter cellular function. Thermodynamic modeling predicts that mechanical forces influence microtubule assembly, and hence suggest microtubules as one potential cytoskeletal target for mechanical signals. In this study, the assembly of microtubules was analyzed in rat aortic smooth muscle cells cultured on silicon rubber substrates exposed to step increases in applied strain. Cytoskeletal and total cellular protein fractions were extracted from the cells following application of the external strain, and tubulin levels were quantified biochemically via a competitive ELISA and western blotting using bovine brain tubulin as a standard. In the first set of experiments, smooth muscle cells were subjected to a step-increase in strain and the distribution of tubulin between monomeric, polymeric, and total cellular pools was followed with time. Microtubule mass increased rapidly following application of the strain, with a statistically significant increase (P, keywords = {Animals, Aorta, Abdominal, Cell Culture Techniques, Cells, Cultured, Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay, Gene Expression, Male, Microtubules, Muscle, Smooth, Vascular, Polymers, Rats, Rats, Inbred Lew, Signal Transduction, Stress, Mechanical, Tubulin}, issn = {0021-9533}, author = {Putnam, A J and Cunningham, J J and Dennis, R G and Linderman, J J and Mooney, D J} }