Mitosis and cytokinesis in subconfluent endothelial cells exposed to increasing levels of shear stress

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Abstract
An in vitro flow apparatus in combination with cultured endothelium was used to determine the effects of fluid-generated shear stress on cells undergoing mitosis and cytokinesis. Cell responses were recorded by time-lapse video microscopy under phase contrast or Hoffman modulation contrast optics. Completion of cell division in mitotic cells was dependent upon both the initial presence of intercellular attachments and the magnitude of fluid wall shear stress. In nonisolated populations, 95.3%, 69.5%, and 57.1% of the cells completed cell division as opposed to 66.6%, 20.4%, and 11.9% in the isolated cell groups at 2.8, 14.1, and 33 dynes/cm2, respectively. Prestressing cells for 14 h prior to monitoring failed to increase retention of isolated mitotic cells. The presence of neighboring cells facilitated replication by providing an anchoring attachment or a luminal surface for completion of division. Cell detachment most commonly occurred at the onset of cytokinesis when substrate contact areas were minimal and focal contacts were absent. A comparison between no flow controls and shear stress specimens indicated no significant differences in transit times for mitosis and cytokinesis. Thus, subconfluent endothelial cells may be more susceptible to detachment during cell division due to increases in shear stress, the absence of intercellular attachments, and reduced cell-substrate contacts.