Kate Poole

TL;DR: An approach to cell-cell adhesion experiments where the sample stage can be moved 100 microm in the z-direction, by closed loop, linearized piezo elements enables an increase in pulling distance sufficient for the observation of long-distance cell-unbinding events without reducing the imaging capabilities of the atomic force microscope.

TL;DR: A new method to directly monitor mechanotransduction at defined regions of the cell-substrate interface is developed and it is shown that molecular-scale (~13 nm) displacements are sufficient to gate mechanosensitive currents in mouse touch receptors.

TL;DR: There are separate, but overlapping, mechanoelectrical transduction pathways in chondrocytes, and both TRPV4 and PIEZO1 channels contribute to currents activated by stimuli applied at cell-substrate contacts but only PIEzO1 mediates stretch-activated currents.

TL;DR: The directional motility of fibroblast cells on aligned collagen type I fibrils cannot be attributed to contact guidance, but requires additional structural information, which allows us to postulate a physiological function for the 67 nm periodicity.

TL;DR: The identification and characterisation of mechanically activated ion channels has proven challenging, as has identifying their mode of activation and regulation in vivo, however, the diverse channelopathies associated with the known channels highlights their physiological importance.