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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2016 Nov 2.
Published in final edited form as: Integr Biol (Camb). 2015 Nov 2;7(11):1454–1465. doi: 10.1039/c5ib00217f

Figure 1. Mechanism of FN fibril formation.

Figure 1

Soluble FN (green circles) is present in serum at high concentration. Assembly of insoluble fibrils proceeds through the following steps: (1) Soluble FN binds to the cell surface via transmembrane integrins (this may also be pre-coated onto in vitro surfaces). (2) Actomyosin forces stretch FN into an extended conformation that (3) facilitates the binding of a second FN molecule. (4) Subsequent integrin binding occurs at the new FN molecule; (5) The process continues until an insoluble, elastic FN fibril is formed. These fibrils act as an intermediate spring between substrate and cell, and as such may alter mechanotransduction responses.