Publications by authors named "Xiang-Dong Ren"

Fibronectin (FN) is required for embryogenesis, morphogenesis, and wound repair, and its Arg-Gly-Asp-containing central cell-binding domain (CCBD) is essential for mesenchymal cell survival and growth. Here, we demonstrate that FN contains three growth factor-binding domains (FN-GFBDs) that bind platelet-derived growth factor-BB (PDGF-BB), a potent fibroblast survival and mitogenic factor. These sites bind PDGF-BB with dissociation constants of 10-100 nM.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

To successfully induce tissue repair or regeneration in vivo, bioengineered constructs must possess both optimal bioactivity and mechanical strength. This is because cell interaction with the extracellular matrix (ECM) produces two different but concurrent signaling mechanisms: ligation-induced signaling, which depends on ECM biological stimuli, and traction-induced signaling, which depends on ECM mechanical stimuli. In this report, we provide a fundamental understanding of how alterations in mechanical stimuli alone, produced by varying the viscoelastic properties of our bioengineered construct, modulate phenotypic behavior at the whole-cell level.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Fibronectin (FN) facilitates dermal fibroblast migration during normal wound healing. Proteolytic degradation of FN in chronic wounds hampers healing. Previously, three FN functional domains (FNfd) have been shown to be sufficient for optimal adult human dermal fibroblast migration.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Fibroblast adhesion to fibronectin (FN) induces formation of focal adhesions (FAs), structures that have significant effect on cell migration and signaling. FA formation requires actomyosin-based contractility that is regulated by Rho-dependent myosin light chain (MLC) phosphorylation. Previous studies indicated that the FN central cell-binding (and integrin-binding) domain (CBD) is insufficient for FA formation and that the major heparin-binding domain (HepII) facilitates FA formation in a Rho-dependent manner.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Fibroblast migration from the peri-wound collagenous stroma into the fibrin-laden wound is critical for granulation tissue formation and subsequent healing. Previously we found that fibroblast transmigration from a collagen matrix into a fibrin matrix required fibronectin (FN). Integrins alpha4beta1, alpha5beta1, and alphavbeta3 and dermatan sulfate CD44 were required for this invasive migration.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Serum-soluble factors play a dominant role in the activation of the small GTPase RhoA. Cell adhesion also modulates RhoA activity but the effect is modest in the absence of serum. Here, we show that cell adhesion is required for serum-stimulated Rho signal transduction leading to myosin light chain (MLC) phosphorylation.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

A key aspect of neuromuscular synapse formation is the clustering of muscle acetylcholine receptors (AChR) at synaptic sites in response to neurally secreted agrin. Agrin-induced AChR clustering in cultured myotubes proceeds via the initial formation of small microclusters, which then aggregate to form AChR clusters. Here we show that the coupling of agrin signaling to AChR clustering is dependent on the coordinated activities of Rac and Rho GTPases.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

A PHP Error was encountered

Severity: Warning

Message: fopen(/var/lib/php/sessions/ci_sessionie9cpdu1igr0jjqhkjjff1en9fop14et): Failed to open stream: No space left on device

Filename: drivers/Session_files_driver.php

Line Number: 177

Backtrace:

File: /var/www/html/index.php
Line: 316
Function: require_once

A PHP Error was encountered

Severity: Warning

Message: session_start(): Failed to read session data: user (path: /var/lib/php/sessions)

Filename: Session/Session.php

Line Number: 137

Backtrace:

File: /var/www/html/index.php
Line: 316
Function: require_once