STRESS FIBRE Meaning and
Definition
-
Stress fibre, also known as a contractile bundle or actin stress fibre, refers to a specialized filamentous structure found within cells that play a crucial role in cell adhesion and cell migration. These fibrous structures are composed of actin filaments and various associated proteins and are typically found in eukaryotic cells, including animal cells and some plant cells.
Stress fibres are responsible for generating contractile forces that allow cells to anchor to the extracellular matrix and undergo shape changes. They are involved in a wide range of cellular processes such as cell spreading, cell contraction, and cell migration. The contractile forces generated by stress fibres help cells exert mechanical tension and thus play a vital role in tissue development, wound healing, and other physiological processes.
Under the microscope, stress fibres appear as bundles of parallel actin filaments, which are interconnected by cross-linking proteins such as alpha-actinin and non-muscle myosin. These fibres are typically found in regions of the cell called focal adhesions, where they are attached to integrin proteins that connect the cell to the extracellular matrix.
Overall, stress fibres are critical components of the cellular machinery involved in cell structure, adhesion, and motility. Understanding the mechanisms by which stress fibres function is vital for comprehending various cellular processes and their implications in development, tissue repair, and disease progression.
Common Misspellings for STRESS FIBRE
- atress fibre
- ztress fibre
- xtress fibre
- dtress fibre
- etress fibre
- wtress fibre
- srress fibre
- sfress fibre
- sgress fibre
- syress fibre
- s6ress fibre
- s5ress fibre
- steess fibre
- stdess fibre
- stfess fibre
- sttess fibre
- st5ess fibre
- st4ess fibre
- strwss fibre
- strsss fibre
Etymology of STRESS FIBRE
The word "stress fibre" is derived from the fields of biology and cellular physiology. The term "fiber" in this context refers to a slender, elongated structure or filament within a cell. Stress fibers are specialized cytoskeletal structures found in animal cells, particularly in fibroblasts.
The etymology of the word "stress" in this context originates from the stressful conditions in which these structures were initially discovered. Stress fibers were first observed and studied under mechanical tension or stress, which caused the cells to align and develop these filamentous structures. The term "stress" here alludes to the physiological stress or external mechanical forces that trigger the development and alignment of these fibers.
Therefore, the term "stress fibre" combines the concept of stress, referring to external mechanical forces, with the term "fibre", denoting the slender cytoskeletal structures found within cells.
Infographic
Add the infographic to your website:
