Abstract
SEVERAL types of experiment which have been interpreted as evidence for the control of cell division by the action of diffusion boundary layers can equally well be interpreted as being due to the action of mechanical effects. The pumping experiment, and wounding experiments1 have all been interpreted as evidence that increasing the rate of exchange of metabolites between cell and medium stimulates the cell cycle and in particular the transition G0 to S. However, there is already much observational evidence that suggests that mechanical stress may lead to increased division2–4. The pumping and wounding5 experiments might mechanically stress cells so that it is timely to carry out an experiment which distinguishes between the effects of mechanical tension and the effects of changed diffusion rates. We provide experimental evidence that mechanical tension may stimulate the cell cycle in vertebrate cells.
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CURTIS, A., SEEHAR, G. The control of cell division by tension or diffusion. Nature 274, 52–53 (1978). https://doi.org/10.1038/274052a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/274052a0
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