Mechanical force induces Akt S473 phosphorylation that is compromised in synaptopodin knockdown monolayers. (A) Site-specific phospho-kinase arrays (see Materials and methods for details) showing induction of Akt S473 phosphorylation by cyclic pressure that is compromised in synaptopodin knockdown cells. (B) Quantitation of A showing fivefold increase of Akt S473 phosphorylation in WT MDCK but only threefold increase in synaptopodin knockdown cells. Error bars are standard errors. n = 2. (C) Wide-field immunofluorescence images showing tension-induction accumulation of phospho-Akt S473 at cell junction. Bar, 50 µm. (D and E) Line scans of C showing redistribution and colocalization of E-cadherin, α-actinin-4, and p-Akt S473 after cyclic pressure. (C–E) The images and quantitation shown are from a single representative experiment out of four experiments.