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Abstract
Recently, substrate stiffness has been involved in the physiology and pathology of the nervous system. However, the role and function of substrate stiffness remain unclear. Here, we review known effects of substrate stiffness on nerve cell morphology and function in the central and peripheral nervous systems and their involvement in pathology. We hope this review will clarify the research status of substrate stiffness in nerve cells and neurological disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weijin Si
- Key Laboratory of Cognitive Science, Hubei Key Laboratory of Medical Information Analysis and Tumor Diagnosis & Treatment, Laboratory of Membrane Ion Channels and Medicine, College of Biomedical Engineering, South-Central Minzu University, Wuhan 430074, China
| | - Jihong Gong
- Key Laboratory of Cognitive Science, Hubei Key Laboratory of Medical Information Analysis and Tumor Diagnosis & Treatment, Laboratory of Membrane Ion Channels and Medicine, College of Biomedical Engineering, South-Central Minzu University, Wuhan 430074, China
| | - Xiaofei Yang
- Key Laboratory of Cognitive Science, Hubei Key Laboratory of Medical Information Analysis and Tumor Diagnosis & Treatment, Laboratory of Membrane Ion Channels and Medicine, College of Biomedical Engineering, South-Central Minzu University, Wuhan 430074, China
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2
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Zummo F, Esposito P, Hou H, Wetzl C, Rius G, Tkatchenko R, Guimera A, Godignon P, Prato M, Prats-Alfonso E, Criado A, Scaini D. Bidirectional Modulation of Neuronal Cells Electrical and Mechanical Properties Through Pristine and Functionalized Graphene Substrates. Front Neurosci 2022; 15:811348. [PMID: 35087375 PMCID: PMC8788235 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2021.811348] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2021] [Accepted: 12/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
In recent years, the quest for surface modifications to promote neuronal cell interfacing and modulation has risen. This course is justified by the requirements of emerging technological and medical approaches attempting to effectively interact with central nervous system cells, as in the case of brain-machine interfaces or neuroprosthetic. In that regard, the remarkable cytocompatibility and ease of chemical functionalization characterizing surface-immobilized graphene-based nanomaterials (GBNs) make them increasingly appealing for these purposes. Here, we compared the (morpho)mechanical and functional adaptation of rat primary hippocampal neurons when interfaced with surfaces covered with pristine single-layer graphene (pSLG) and phenylacetic acid-functionalized single-layer graphene (fSLG). Our results confirmed the intrinsic ability of glass-supported single-layer graphene to boost neuronal activity highlighting, conversely, the downturn inducible by the surface insertion of phenylacetic acid moieties. fSLG-interfaced neurons showed a significant reduction in spontaneous postsynaptic currents (PSCs), coupled to reduced cell stiffness and altered focal adhesion organization compared to control samples. Overall, we have here demonstrated that graphene substrates, both pristine and functionalized, could be alternatively used to intrinsically promote or depress neuronal activity in primary hippocampal cultures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Zummo
- Neuroscience Area, International School for Advanced Studies (SISSA), Trieste, Italy
| | - Pietro Esposito
- Neuroscience Area, International School for Advanced Studies (SISSA), Trieste, Italy
| | - Huilei Hou
- Center for Cooperative Research in Biomaterials (CIC biomaGUNE), Basque Research and Technology Alliance (BRTA), San Sebastián, Spain
| | - Cecilia Wetzl
- Center for Cooperative Research in Biomaterials (CIC biomaGUNE), Basque Research and Technology Alliance (BRTA), San Sebastián, Spain
| | - Gemma Rius
- Institut de Microelectrònica de Barcelona, IMB-CNM (CSIC), Esfera UAB, Bellaterra, Spain
| | - Raphaela Tkatchenko
- Institut de Microelectrònica de Barcelona, IMB-CNM (CSIC), Esfera UAB, Bellaterra, Spain
| | - Anton Guimera
- Institut de Microelectrònica de Barcelona, IMB-CNM (CSIC), Esfera UAB, Bellaterra, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en Bioingeniería, Biomateriales y Nanomedicina (CIBER-BBN), Madrid, Spain
| | - Philippe Godignon
- Institut de Microelectrònica de Barcelona, IMB-CNM (CSIC), Esfera UAB, Bellaterra, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en Bioingeniería, Biomateriales y Nanomedicina (CIBER-BBN), Madrid, Spain
| | - Maurizio Prato
- Center for Cooperative Research in Biomaterials (CIC biomaGUNE), Basque Research and Technology Alliance (BRTA), San Sebastián, Spain
- Department of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy
- Basque Foundation for Science (IKERBASQUE), Bilbao, Spain
| | - Elisabet Prats-Alfonso
- Institut de Microelectrònica de Barcelona, IMB-CNM (CSIC), Esfera UAB, Bellaterra, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en Bioingeniería, Biomateriales y Nanomedicina (CIBER-BBN), Madrid, Spain
- *Correspondence: Elisabet Prats-Alfonso,
| | - Alejandro Criado
- Center for Cooperative Research in Biomaterials (CIC biomaGUNE), Basque Research and Technology Alliance (BRTA), San Sebastián, Spain
- Centro de Investigacións Científicas Avanzadas (CICA), Universidade da Coruña, A Coruña, Spain
- Alejandro Criado,
| | - Denis Scaini
- Neuroscience Area, International School for Advanced Studies (SISSA), Trieste, Italy
- Nanomedicine Research Laboratory, Department of Medicine, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital, London, United Kingdom
- Denis Scaini,
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Structural and Functional Modulation of Perineuronal Nets: In Search of Important Players with Highlight on Tenascins. Cells 2021; 10:cells10061345. [PMID: 34072323 PMCID: PMC8230358 DOI: 10.3390/cells10061345] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2021] [Revised: 05/18/2021] [Accepted: 05/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The extracellular matrix (ECM) of the brain plays a crucial role in providing optimal conditions for neuronal function. Interactions between neurons and a specialized form of ECM, perineuronal nets (PNN), are considered a key mechanism for the regulation of brain plasticity. Such an assembly of interconnected structural and regulatory molecules has a prominent role in the control of synaptic plasticity. In this review, we discuss novel ways of studying the interplay between PNN and its regulatory components, particularly tenascins, in the processes of synaptic plasticity, mechanotransduction, and neurogenesis. Since enhanced neuronal activity promotes PNN degradation, it is possible to study PNN remodeling as a dynamical change in the expression and organization of its constituents that is reflected in its ultrastructure. The discovery of these subtle modifications is enabled by the development of super-resolution microscopy and advanced methods of image analysis.
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Tang X, Liu X, Li P, Liu D, Kojima M, Huang Q, Arai T. Efficient Single-Cell Mechanical Measurement by Integrating a Cell Arraying Microfluidic Device With Magnetic Tweezer. IEEE Robot Autom Lett 2021. [DOI: 10.1109/lra.2021.3062793] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
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Espinosa-Hoyos D, Burstein SR, Cha J, Jain T, Nijsure M, Jagielska A, Fossati V, Van Vliet KJ. Mechanosensitivity of Human Oligodendrocytes. Front Cell Neurosci 2020; 14:222. [PMID: 32848617 PMCID: PMC7420028 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2020.00222] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2020] [Accepted: 06/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Oligodendrocytes produce and repair myelin, which is critical for the integrity and function of the central nervous system (CNS). Oligodendrocyte and oligodendrocyte progenitor cell (OPC) biology is modulated in vitro by mechanical cues within the magnitudes observed in vivo. In some cases, these cues are sufficient to accelerate or inhibit terminal differentiation of murine oligodendrocyte progenitors. However, our understanding of oligodendrocyte lineage mechanobiology has been restricted primarily to animal models to date, due to the inaccessibility and challenges of human oligodendrocyte cell culture. Here, we probe the mechanosensitivity of human oligodendrocyte lineage cells derived from human induced pluripotent stem cells. We target phenotypically distinct stages of the human oligodendrocyte lineage and quantify the effect of substratum stiffness on cell migration and differentiation, within the range documented in vivo. We find that human oligodendrocyte lineage cells exhibit mechanosensitive migration and differentiation. Further, we identify two patterns of human donor line-dependent mechanosensitive differentiation. Our findings illustrate the variation among human oligodendrocyte responses, otherwise not captured by animal models, that are important for translational research. Moreover, these findings highlight the importance of studying glia under conditions that better approximate in vivo mechanical cues. Despite significant progress in human oligodendrocyte derivation methodology, the extended duration, low yield, and low selectivity of human-induced pluripotent stem cell-derived oligodendrocyte protocols significantly limit the scale-up and implementation of these cells and protocols for in vivo and in vitro applications. We propose that mechanical modulation, in combination with traditional soluble and insoluble factors, provides a key avenue to address these challenges in cell production and in vitro analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniela Espinosa-Hoyos
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, United States
| | - Suzanne R. Burstein
- The New York Stem Cell Foundation Research Institute, New York, NY, United States
| | - Jaaram Cha
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, United States
| | - Tanya Jain
- The New York Stem Cell Foundation Research Institute, New York, NY, United States
| | - Madhura Nijsure
- The New York Stem Cell Foundation Research Institute, New York, NY, United States
| | - Anna Jagielska
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, United States
- Critical Analytics for Manufacturing Personalized-Medicine (CAMP) Interdisciplinary Research Group, Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology (SMART) CREATE, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Valentina Fossati
- The New York Stem Cell Foundation Research Institute, New York, NY, United States
| | - Krystyn J. Van Vliet
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, United States
- Critical Analytics for Manufacturing Personalized-Medicine (CAMP) Interdisciplinary Research Group, Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology (SMART) CREATE, Singapore, Singapore
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, United States
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Makhija EP, Espinosa-Hoyos D, Jagielska A, Van Vliet KJ. Mechanical regulation of oligodendrocyte biology. Neurosci Lett 2019; 717:134673. [PMID: 31838017 DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2019.134673] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2019] [Revised: 11/25/2019] [Accepted: 12/01/2019] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Oligodendrocytes (OL) are a subset of glial cells in the central nervous system (CNS) comprising the brain and spinal cord. The CNS environment is defined by complex biochemical and biophysical cues during development and response to injury or disease. In the last decade, significant progress has been made in understanding some of the key biophysical factors in the CNS that modulate OL biology, including their key role in myelination of neurons. Taken together, those studies offer translational implications for remyelination therapies, pharmacological research, identification of novel drug targets, and improvements in methods to generate human oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (OPCs) and OLs from donor stem cells in vitro. This review summarizes current knowledge of how various physical and mechanical cues affect OL biology and its implications for disease, therapeutic approaches, and generation of human OPCs and OLs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ekta P Makhija
- BioSystems & Micromechanics (BioSyM) Interdisciplinary Research Group, Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research & Technology (SMART) CREATE, Singapore 138602; Critical Analytics for Manufacturing Personalized-Medicine (CAMP) Interdisciplinary Research Group, Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research & Technology (SMART) CREATE, 138602, Singapore
| | - Daniela Espinosa-Hoyos
- BioSystems & Micromechanics (BioSyM) Interdisciplinary Research Group, Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research & Technology (SMART) CREATE, Singapore 138602; Department of Chemical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139 USA
| | - Anna Jagielska
- BioSystems & Micromechanics (BioSyM) Interdisciplinary Research Group, Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research & Technology (SMART) CREATE, Singapore 138602; Department of Materials Science & Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139 USA.
| | - Krystyn J Van Vliet
- BioSystems & Micromechanics (BioSyM) Interdisciplinary Research Group, Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research & Technology (SMART) CREATE, Singapore 138602; Critical Analytics for Manufacturing Personalized-Medicine (CAMP) Interdisciplinary Research Group, Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research & Technology (SMART) CREATE, 138602, Singapore; Department of Materials Science & Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139 USA; Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139 USA.
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Chen L, Li W, Maybeck V, Offenhäusser A, Krause HJ. Statistical study of biomechanics of living brain cells during growth and maturation on artificial substrates. Biomaterials 2016; 106:240-9. [PMID: 27573132 DOI: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2016.08.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2016] [Revised: 08/03/2016] [Accepted: 08/17/2016] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
There is increasing evidence that mechanical issues play a vital role in neuron growth and brain development. The importance of this grows as novel devices, whose material properties differ from cells, are increasingly implanted in the body. In this work, we studied the mechanical properties of rat brain cells over time and on different materials by using a high throughput magnetic tweezers system. It was found that the elastic moduli of both neurite and soma in networked neurons increased with growth. However, neurites at DIV4 exhibited a relatively high stiffness, which could be ascribed to the high outgrowth tension. The power-law exponents (viscoelasticity) of both neurites and somas of neurons decreased with culture time. On the other hand, the stiffness of glial cells also increased with maturity. Furthermore, both neurites and glia become softer when cultured on compliant substrates. Especially, the glial cells cultured on a soft substrate obviously showed a less dense and more porous actin and GFAP mesh. In addition, the viscoelasticity of both neurites and glia did not show a significant dependence on the substrates' stiffness.
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Affiliation(s)
- La Chen
- Institute of Bioelectronics (ICS-8/PGI-8), Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Wenfang Li
- Institute of Bioelectronics (ICS-8/PGI-8), Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Vanessa Maybeck
- Institute of Bioelectronics (ICS-8/PGI-8), Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Andreas Offenhäusser
- Institute of Bioelectronics (ICS-8/PGI-8), Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Hans-Joachim Krause
- Institute of Bioelectronics (ICS-8/PGI-8), Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, 52425 Jülich, Germany. h.-
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Kim S, Xiong R, Tsukruk VV. Probing Flexural Properties of Cellulose Nanocrystal-Graphene Nanomembranes with Force Spectroscopy and Bulging Test. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2016; 32:5383-5393. [PMID: 27149011 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.6b01079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
The flexural properties of ultrathin freely standing composite nanomembranes from reduced graphene oxide (rGO) and cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) have been probed by combining force spectroscopy for local nanomechanical properties and bulging test for global mechanical properties. We observed that the flexural properties of these rGO-CNC nanomembranes are controlled by rGO content and deformational regimes. The nanomembranes showed the enhanced mechanical properties due to the strong interfacial interactions between interwoven rGO and CNC components. The presence of weak interfacial interactions resulted in time-dependent behavior with the relaxation time gradually decreased with increasing the deformational rate owing to the reducing viscous damping at faster probing regimes close to 10 Hz. We observed that the microscopic elastic bending modulus of 141 GPa from local force spectroscopy is close to the elastic tensile modulus evaluated from macroscopic bulging test, indicating the consistency of both approaches for analyzing the ultrathin nanomembranes at different spatial scales of deformation. We showed that the flexible rGO-CNC nanomembranes are very resilient in terms of their capacity to recover back into original shape.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sunghan Kim
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology , Atlanta, Georgia 30332, United States
| | - Rui Xiong
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology , Atlanta, Georgia 30332, United States
| | - Vladimir V Tsukruk
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology , Atlanta, Georgia 30332, United States
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Jembrek MJ, Šimić G, Hof PR, Šegota S. Atomic force microscopy as an advanced tool in neuroscience. Transl Neurosci 2015; 6:117-130. [PMID: 28123795 PMCID: PMC4936619 DOI: 10.1515/tnsci-2015-0011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2015] [Accepted: 06/05/2015] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
This review highlights relevant issues about applications and improvements of atomic force microscopy (AFM) toward a better understanding of neurodegenerative changes at the molecular level with the hope of contributing to the development of effective therapeutic strategies for neurodegenerative illnesses. The basic principles of AFM are briefly discussed in terms of evaluation of experimental data, including the newest PeakForce Quantitative Nanomechanical Mapping (QNM) and the evaluation of Young’s modulus as the crucial elasticity parameter. AFM topography, revealed in imaging mode, can be used to monitor changes in live neurons over time, representing a valuable tool for high-resolution detection and monitoring of neuronal morphology. The mechanical properties of living cells can be quantified by force spectroscopy as well as by new AFM. A variety of applications are described, and their relevance for specific research areas discussed. In addition, imaging as well as non-imaging modes can provide specific information, not only about the structural and mechanical properties of neuronal membranes, but also on the cytoplasm, cell nucleus, and particularly cytoskeletal components. Moreover, new AFM is able to provide detailed insight into physical structure and biochemical interactions in both physiological and pathophysiological conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Goran Šimić
- Department for Neuroscience, Croatian Institute for Brain Research, University of Zagreb Medical School, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Patrick R Hof
- Fishberg Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, 10029 New York, USA
| | - Suzana Šegota
- Division for Marine and Environmental Research, Ruđer Bošković Institute, POB 180, Zagreb, Croatia
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Grevesse T, Dabiri BE, Parker KK, Gabriele S. Opposite rheological properties of neuronal microcompartments predict axonal vulnerability in brain injury. Sci Rep 2015; 5:9475. [PMID: 25820512 PMCID: PMC4377573 DOI: 10.1038/srep09475] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2014] [Accepted: 03/05/2015] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Although pathological changes in axonal morphology have emerged as important features of traumatic brain injury (TBI), the mechanical vulnerability of the axonal microcompartment relative to the cell body is not well understood. We hypothesized that soma and neurite microcompartments exhibit distinct mechanical behaviors, rendering axons more sensitive to a mechanical injury. In order to test this assumption, we combined protein micropatterns with magnetic tweezer rheology to probe the viscoelastic properties of neuronal microcompartments. Creep experiments revealed two opposite rheological behaviors within cortical neurons: the cell body was soft and characterized by a solid-like response, whereas the neurite compartment was stiffer and viscous-like. By using pharmacological agents, we demonstrated that the nucleus is responsible for the solid-like behavior and the stress-stiffening response of the soma, whereas neurofilaments have a predominant contribution in the viscous behavior of the neurite. Furthermore, we found that the neurite is a mechanosensitive compartment that becomes softer and adopts a pronounced viscous state on soft matrices. Together, these findings highlight the importance of the regionalization of mechanical and rigidity-sensing properties within neuron microcompartments in the preferential damage of axons during traumatic brain injury and into potential mechanisms of axonal outgrowth after injury.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Grevesse
- Mechanobiology &Soft Matter Group, Interfaces and Complex Fluids Laboratory, Research Institute for Biosciences, CIRMAP, University of Mons, 20 Place du Parc B-7000 Mons, Belgium
| | - Borna E Dabiri
- Disease Biophysics Group, Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, 29 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Kevin Kit Parker
- Disease Biophysics Group, Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, 29 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Sylvain Gabriele
- Mechanobiology &Soft Matter Group, Interfaces and Complex Fluids Laboratory, Research Institute for Biosciences, CIRMAP, University of Mons, 20 Place du Parc B-7000 Mons, Belgium
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Du Y, Zhang J, Zheng Q, Li M, Liu Y, Zhang B, Liu B, Zhang H, Miao G. Heavy ion and X-ray irradiation alter the cytoskeleton and cytomechanics of cortical neurons. Neural Regen Res 2014; 9:1129-37. [PMID: 25206772 PMCID: PMC4146101 DOI: 10.4103/1673-5374.135315] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/08/2014] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Heavy ion beams with high linear energy transfer exhibit more beneficial physical and biological performance than conventional X-rays, thus improving the potential of this type of radiotherapy in the treatment of cancer. However, these two radiotherapy modalities both cause inevitable brain injury. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of heavy ion and X-ray irradiation on the cytoskeleton and cytomechanical properties of rat cortical neurons, as well as to determine the potential mechanism of neuronal injury after irradiation. Cortical neurons from 30 new-born mice were irradiated with heavy ion beams at a single dose of 2 Gy and X-rays at a single dose of 4 Gy; subsequent evaluation of their effects were carried out at 24 hours after irradiation. An immunofluorescence assay showed that after irradiation with both the heavy ion beam and X-rays, the number of primary neurons was significantly decreased, and there was evidence of apoptosis. Radiation-induced neuronal injury was more apparent after X-irradiation. Under atomic force microscopy, the neuronal membrane appeared rough and neuronal rigidity had increased. These cell changes were more apparent following exposure to X-rays. Our findings indicated that damage caused by heavy ion and X-ray irradiation resulted in the structural distortion and rearrangement of the cytoskeleton, and affected the cytomechanical properties of the cortical neurons. Moreover, this radiation injury to normal neurons was much severer after irradiation with X-rays than after heavy ion beam irradiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuting Du
- School of Stomatology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu Province, China ; School of Nuclear Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu Province, China
| | - Jie Zhang
- School of Nuclear Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu Province, China ; School of Stomatology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu Province, China
| | - Qian Zheng
- School of Stomatology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu Province, China
| | - Mingxin Li
- School of Stomatology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu Province, China
| | - Yang Liu
- Department of Radiation Biology and Medicine, Institute of Modern Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, Gansu Province, China
| | - Baoping Zhang
- School of Civil Engineering and Mechanics, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu Province, China
| | - Bin Liu
- School of Nuclear Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu Province, China ; School of Stomatology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu Province, China
| | - Hong Zhang
- Department of Radiation Biology and Medicine, Institute of Modern Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, Gansu Province, China
| | - Guoying Miao
- Gansu Provincial Hospital, Lanzhou, Gansu Province, China
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Vichare S, Sen S, Inamdar MM. Cellular mechanoadaptation to substrate mechanical properties: contributions of substrate stiffness and thickness to cell stiffness measurements using AFM. SOFT MATTER 2014; 10:1174-1181. [PMID: 24651595 DOI: 10.1039/c3sm51786a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
Mechanosensing by adherent cells is usually studied by quantifying cell responses on hydrogels that are covalently linked to a rigid substrate. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) represents a convenient way of characterizing the mechanoadaptation response of adherent cells on hydrogels of varying stiffness and thickness. Since AFM measurements reflect the effective cell stiffness, therefore, in addition to measuring real cytoskeletal alterations across different conditions, these measurements might also be influenced by the geometry and physical properties of the substrate itself. To better understand how the physical attributes of the gel influence AFM stiffness measurements of cells, we have used finite element analysis to simulate the indentation of cells of various spreads resting on hydrogels of varying stiffness and thickness. Consistent with experimental results, our simulation results indicate that for well spread cells, stiffness values are significantly over-estimated when experiments are performed on cells cultured on soft and thin gels. Using parametric studies, we have developed scaling relationships between the effective stiffness probed by AFM and the bulk cell stiffness, taking cell and tip geometry, hydrogel properties, nuclear stiffness and cell contractility into account. Finally, using simulated mechanoadaptation responses, we have demonstrated that a cell stiffening response may arise purely due to the substrate properties. Collectively, our results demonstrate the need to take hydrogel properties into account while estimating cell stiffness using AFM indentation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shirish Vichare
- Department of Civil Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Mumbai 400076, India.
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Spedden E, Staii C. Neuron biomechanics probed by atomic force microscopy. Int J Mol Sci 2013; 14:16124-40. [PMID: 23921683 PMCID: PMC3759903 DOI: 10.3390/ijms140816124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2013] [Revised: 07/16/2013] [Accepted: 07/18/2013] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Mechanical interactions play a key role in many processes associated with neuronal growth and development. Over the last few years there has been significant progress in our understanding of the role played by the substrate stiffness in neuronal growth, of the cell-substrate adhesion forces, of the generation of traction forces during axonal elongation, and of the relationships between the neuron soma elastic properties and its health. The particular capabilities of the Atomic Force Microscope (AFM), such as high spatial resolution, high degree of control over the magnitude and orientation of the applied forces, minimal sample damage, and the ability to image and interact with cells in physiologically relevant conditions make this technique particularly suitable for measuring mechanical properties of living neuronal cells. This article reviews recent advances on using the AFM for studying neuronal biomechanics, provides an overview about the state-of-the-art measurements, and suggests directions for future applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elise Spedden
- Department of Physics and Astronomy and Center for Nanoscopic Physics, Tufts University, 4 Colby Street, Medford, MA 02155, USA; E-Mail:
| | - Cristian Staii
- Department of Physics and Astronomy and Center for Nanoscopic Physics, Tufts University, 4 Colby Street, Medford, MA 02155, USA; E-Mail:
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