Jing Wen Ang

1. Introduction Click to copy section linkSection link copied! The regulation of mechanical sensing and transduction plays a crucial role in numerous cellular processes, both in normal physiological conditions and disease states. (1) During cardiac development, embryonic stem cells and postnatal immature cardiac cells respond to mechanical cues, such as substrate stiffness and intracardiac fluid stress, to drive cardiac morphogenesis, (2) cardiomyoblast differentiation, (3,4) and maturation.

Abstract Focal adhesion (FA) organization and signaling are essential for cell growth and differentiation. However, the molecular mechanism that coordinates the FA signaling with cardiomyocyte differentiation has not been fully understood. Here, we provide empirical evidence that BNIP-2, a BCH-domain-containing protein, is the organizer of FA nanostructure that potentiates FA signaling and cell traction force transmission.