Extracellular Matrix in Regulation of Contractile System in Cardiomyocytes

Abstract

The contractile apparatus of cardiomyocytes is considered to be a stable system. However, it undergoes strong rearrangements during heart development as cells progress from their non-muscle precursors. Long-term culturing of mature cardiomyocytes is also accompanied by the reorganization of their contractile apparatus with the conversion of typical myofibrils into structures of non-muscle type. Processes of heart development as well as cell adaptation to culture conditions in cardiomyocytes both involve extracellular matrix changes, which appear to be crucial for the maturation of contractile apparatus. The aim of this review is to analyze the role of extracellular matrix in the regulation of contractile system dynamics in cardiomyocytes. Here, the remodeling of actin contractile structures and the expression of actin isoforms in cardiomyocytes during differentiation and adaptation to the culture system are described along with the extracellular matrix alterations. The data supporting the regulation of actin dynamics by extracellular matrix are highlighted and the possible mechanisms of such regulation are discussed.

Suppression of β1-Adrenoceptor Autoantibodies is Involved in the Antiarrhythmic Effects of Omega-3 Fatty Acids in Male and Female Hypertensive Rats

“…In fact, electron microscopy examination revealed clear cut degradation of collagen IV endowed basal lamina of cardiomyocytes (Figure 4). Such a structural disorder should be associated with functional impairment of sarcolemma [29]. In contrast, treatment with omega-3 resulted in the protection of sarcolemma integrity that might be associated with preservation of β1-AR.…”

Molecular Regulators of Cellular Mechanoadaptation at Cell–Material Interfaces

“…This indicates that the first signaling pathways for the induction of coordinated myocyte beating in the early embryonic heart tube is based on mechanical stimuli and these mechanical forces are associated with the strengthening of the heart matrix (Chiou et al, 2016 ). Furthermore, differentiation of cardiomyocytes followed by adaptation to extracellular environment involves considerable rearrangement of contractile structures (Bildyug, 2019 ). The stiffness of ECM can determine the rearrangement of the contractile apparatus of cardiomyocytes because the cells placed on the rigid polyacrylamide hydrogels coated with the type I collagen formed unaligned sarcomeres and stress fiber-like structures in myofibril organization, in contrast to cardiomyocytes cultured on a compliant matrix similar to the stiffness of the myocardium (Bildyug, 2019 ).…”

“…Furthermore, differentiation of cardiomyocytes followed by adaptation to extracellular environment involves considerable rearrangement of contractile structures (Bildyug, 2019 ). The stiffness of ECM can determine the rearrangement of the contractile apparatus of cardiomyocytes because the cells placed on the rigid polyacrylamide hydrogels coated with the type I collagen formed unaligned sarcomeres and stress fiber-like structures in myofibril organization, in contrast to cardiomyocytes cultured on a compliant matrix similar to the stiffness of the myocardium (Bildyug, 2019 ). In addition, cells cultured on soft substrates exhibit reduced contraction force, while cells cease to contract on stiff substrates (Bhana et al, 2010 ).…”

Non-coding RNAs in Cardiac Intercellular Communication

“…Cardiac fibrosis is the main cellular event leading to scar formation and is characterized by an accumulation of ECM in the myocardium (Beltrami et al, 2003). In healthy conditions, ECM is responsible for transmission of the contractile force and serves as scaffolding for cardiac cells conferring mechanical support to the heart, and as such, cardiac contraction and relaxation firmly depends on ECM (Michel, 2003;Bildyug, 2019). Cardiac ECM is predominantly composed of collagens I and III (ColI and ColIII), glycosaminoglycans, glycoproteins, latent growth factors, and proteases (Kong et al, 2014), and is under constant turnover of sustained degradation and synthesis processes (Lajiness and Conway, 2014).…”