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Abstract

Biochemistry

Perturbing Endothelial Biomechanics via Connexin 43 Structural Disruption

Published: October 4th, 2019

DOI:

10.3791/60034

1Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of Central Florida, 2Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Central Florida

Abstract

Endothelial cells have been established to generate intercellular stresses and tractions, but the role gap junctions play in endothelial intercellular stress and traction generation is currently unknown. Therefore, we present here a mechanics-based protocol to probe the influence of gap junction connexin 43 (Cx43) has on endothelial biomechanics by exposing confluent endothelial monolayers to a known Cx43 inhibitor 2,5-dihydroxychalcone (chalcone) and measuring the impact this inhibitor has on tractions and intercellular stresses. We present representative results, which show a decrease in both tractions and intercellular stresses under a high chalcone dosage (2 µg/mL) when compared to control. This protocol can be applied to not just Cx43, but also other gap junctions as well, assuming the appropriate inhibitor is used. We believe this protocol will be useful in the fields of cardiovascular and mechanobiology research.

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Keywords Endothelial Biomechanics

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