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Cell mechanosensing and gravity.

Jack J.W.A. van Loon, Dutch Experiment Support Center (DESC), ACTA-Vrije Universiteit van der Boechorststraat 7, 1081 BT Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Web: www.desc.med.vu.nl, E-mail: j.vanloon@vumc.nl.

   Sensing gravity by ‘non-professional’ cells still puzzles many of us. Are the effects direct or indirect. And if they were direct, what would be the sensing organelle or mechanism within a cell. These questions in ‘gravisensing’ are not much different from questions in general mechanosensing. Various research groups are involved in probing cell mechanicals. What are the mechanical properties of a cell. Are there differences in mechanical properties between cell types and if so why.

With relatively novel techniques such as optical and magnetic tweezer, atomic force microscopy but also computer modeling a whole field of  research has been opened up. A similar approach could also be applied for specific gravity related research.

   In this paper, as introductory part of the cell mechanics workshop, I will address the current techniques used in mechanosensing and stress some points in how a cell could sense the relatively insignificant force of gravity.