Integrin activation and internalization mediated by extracellular matrix elasticity: A biomechanical model

Cells sense and respond to the elasticity of extracellular matrix (ECM) via integrin-mediated adhesion. As a class of well-documented mechanosenors in cells, integrins switch among inactive, bound, and dissociated states, depending upon the variation of forces acting on them. However, it remains unclear how the ECM elasticity directs and affects the states of integrins and, in turn, their cellular functions. On the basis of our recent experiments, a biomechanical model is proposed to reveal the role of ECM elasticity in the state-switching of integrins. It is demonstrated that a soft ECM can increase the activation level of integrins while a stiff ECM has a tendency to prevent the dissociation and internalization of bound integrins. In addition, it is found that more stable focal adhesions can form on stiffer and thinner ECMs. The theoretical results agree well with relevant experiments and shed light on the ECM elasticity-sensing mechanisms of cells.