Mechanical regulation of the Notch signaling pathway.

The mechanical regulation of Notch signaling is an emerging area of interest in cell biology. Notch is essential in many physiological processes in which mechanical stress plays an important role. This review provides an overview of the mechanoregulation of Notch signaling in multiple steps of the pathway.

From structural resilience to cell specification - Intermediate filaments as regulators of cell fate.

During the last decades intermediate filaments (IFs) have emerged as important regulators of cellular signaling events, ascribing IFs with functions beyond the structural support they provide. The organ and developmental stage-specific expression of IFs regulate cell differentiation within developing or remodeling tissues. Lack of IFs causes perturbed stem cell differentiation in vasculature, intestine, nervous system, and mammary gland, in transgenic mouse models.

Vimentin regulates Notch signaling strength and arterial remodeling in response to hemodynamic stress.

The intermediate filament (IF) cytoskeleton has been proposed to regulate morphogenic processes by integrating the cell fate signaling machinery with mechanical cues. Signaling between endothelial cells (ECs) and vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) through the Notch pathway regulates arterial remodeling in response to changes in blood flow. Here we show that the IF-protein vimentin regulates Notch signaling strength and arterial remodeling in response to hemodynamic forces.