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Theory of Force Regulation by Nascent Adhesion Sites

Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of California at Los Angeles

Correspondence: Address reprint requests to Robijn Bruinsma, Tel.: 310-825-8539; E-mail: bruinsma{at}physics.ucla.edu.

The mechanical coupling of a cell with the extracellular matrix relies on adhesion sites, clusters of membrane-associated proteins that communicate forces generated along the F-Actin filaments of the cytoskeleton to connecting tissue. Nascent adhesion sites have been shown to regulate these forces in response to tissue rigidity. Force-regulation by substrate rigidity of adhesion sites with fixed area is not possible for stationary adhesion sites, according to elasticity theory. A simple model is presented to describe force regulation by dynamical adhesion sites.

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