TY  - JOUR
AU  - Ramms, L.
AU  - Fabris, G.
AU  - Windoffer, R.
AU  - Schwarz, N.
AU  - Springer, R.
AU  - Zhou, C.
AU  - Lazar, J.
AU  - Stiefel, S.
AU  - Hersch, N.
AU  - Schnakenberg, U.
AU  - Magin, T. M.
AU  - Leube, R. E.
AU  - Merkel, R.
AU  - Hoffmann, B.
TI  - Keratins as the main component for the mechanical integrity of keratinocytes
JO  - Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
VL  - 110
IS  - 46
SN  - 1091-6490
CY  - Washington, DC
PB  - Academy
M1  - FZJ-2013-04875
SP  - 18513–18518
PY  - 2013
AB  - For decades, researchers have been trying to unravel one of the key questions in cell biology regarding keratin intermediate filament function in protecting epithelial cells against mechanical stress. For many different reasons, however, this fundamental hypothesis was still unproven. Here we answer this pivotal question by the use of keratin KO cells lacking complete keratin gene clusters to result in total loss of keratin filaments. This lack significantly softens cells, reduces cell viscosity, and elevates plastic cell deformation on force application. Reexpression of single keratin genes facilitates biomechanical complementation of complete cluster loss. Our manuscript therefore makes a very strong case for the crucial contribution of keratins to cell mechanics, with far-reaching implications for epithelial pathophysiology.
LB  - PUB:(DE-HGF)16
UR  - <Go to ISI:>//WOS:000326830900053
C6  - pmid:24167246
DO  - DOI:10.1073/pnas.1313491110
UR  - https://juser.fz-juelich.de/record/138794
ER  -