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Watson MC, Williams C, Wang RM, Perreault LR, Sullivan KE, Stoppel WL, Black LD. Extracellular matrix and cyclic stretch alter fetal cardiomyocyte proliferation and maturation in a rodent model of heart hypoplasia. Front Cardiovasc Med 2022; 9:993310. [PMID: 36518682 PMCID: PMC9744115 DOI: 10.3389/fcvm.2022.993310] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2022] [Accepted: 10/10/2022] [Indexed: 01/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Birth defects, particularly those that affect development of the heart, are a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in infants and young children. Babies born with heart hypoplasia (heart hypoplasia) disorders often have a poor prognosis. It remains unclear whether cardiomyocytes from hypoplastic hearts retain the potential to recover growth, although this knowledge would be beneficial for developing therapies for heart hypoplasia disorders. The objective of this study was to determine the proliferation and maturation potential of cardiomyocytes from hypoplastic hearts and whether these behaviors are influenced by biochemical signaling from the extracellular matrix (ECM) and cyclic mechanical stretch. Method Congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH)-associated heart hypoplasia was induced in rat fetuses by maternal exposure to nitrofen. Hearts were isolated from embryonic day 21 nitrofen-treated fetuses positive for CDH (CDH+) and from fetuses without nitrofen administration during gestation. Results and discussion CDH+ hearts were smaller and had decreased myocardial proliferation, along with evidence of decreased maturity compared to healthy hearts. In culture, CDH+ cardiomyocytes remained immature and demonstrated increased proliferative capacity compared to their healthy counterparts. Culture on ECM derived from CDH+ hearts led to a significant reduction in proliferation for both CDH+ and healthy cardiomyocytes. Healthy cardiomyocytes were dosed with exogenous nitrofen to examine whether nitrofen may have an aberrant effect on the proliferative ability of cardiomyocyte, yet no significant change in proliferation was observed. When subjected to stretch, CDH+ cardiomyocytes underwent lengthening of sarcomeres while healthy cardiomyocyte sarcomeres were unaffected. Taken together, our results suggest that alterations to environmental cues such as ECM and stretch may be important factors in the pathological progression of heart hypoplasia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew C. Watson
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tufts University, Medford, MA, United States
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Tufts University, Medford, MA, United States
| | - Corin Williams
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tufts University, Medford, MA, United States
| | - Raymond M. Wang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tufts University, Medford, MA, United States
| | - Luke R. Perreault
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tufts University, Medford, MA, United States
| | - Kelly E. Sullivan
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tufts University, Medford, MA, United States
| | - Whitney L. Stoppel
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tufts University, Medford, MA, United States
| | - Lauren D. Black
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tufts University, Medford, MA, United States
- Cellular, Molecular, and Developmental Biology Program, Sackler School for Graduate Biomedical Sciences, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, United States
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A Fully Integrated Arduino-Based System for the Application of Stretching Stimuli to Living Cells and Their Time-Lapse Observation: A Do-It-Yourself Biology Approach. Ann Biomed Eng 2021; 49:2243-2259. [PMID: 33728867 DOI: 10.1007/s10439-021-02758-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2020] [Accepted: 02/20/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Mechanobiology has nowadays acquired the status of a topic of fundamental importance in a degree in Biological Sciences. It is inherently a multidisciplinary topic where biology, physics and engineering competences are required. A course in mechanobiology should include lab experiences where students can appreciate how mechanical stimuli from outside affect living cell behaviour. Here we describe all the steps to build a cell stretcher inside an on-stage cell incubator. This device allows exposing living cells to a periodic mechanical stimulus similar to what happens in physiological conditions such as, for example, in the vascular system or in the lungs. The reaction of the cells to the periodic mechanical stretching represents a prototype of a mechanobiological signal integrated by living cells. We also provide the theoretical and experimental aspects related to the calibration of the stretcher apparatus at a level accessible to researchers not used to dealing with topics like continuum mechanics and analysis of deformations. We tested our device by stretching cells of two different lines, U87-MG and Balb-3T3 cells, and we analysed and discussed the effect of the periodic stimulus on both cell reorientation and migration. We also discuss the basic aspects related to the quantitative analysis of the reorientation process and of cell migration. We think that the device we propose can be easily reproduced at low-cost within a project-oriented course in the fields of biology, biotechnology and medical engineering.
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BEaTS-α an open access 3D printed device for in vitro electromechanical stimulation of human induced pluripotent stem cells. Sci Rep 2020; 10:11274. [PMID: 32647145 PMCID: PMC7347879 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-67169-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2019] [Accepted: 06/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
3D printing was used to develop an open access device capable of simultaneous electrical and mechanical stimulation of human induced pluripotent stem cells in 6-well plates. The device was designed using Computer-Aided Design (CAD) and 3D printed with autoclavable, FDA-approved materials. The compact design of the device and materials selection allows for its use inside cell incubators working at high humidity without the risk of overheating or corrosion. Mechanical stimulation of cells was carried out through the cyclic deflection of flexible, translucent silicone membranes by means of a vacuum-controlled, open-access device. A rhythmic stimulation cycle was programmed to create a more physiologically relevant in vitro model. This mechanical stimulation was coupled and synchronized with in situ electrical stimuli. We assessed the capabilities of our device to support cardiac myocytes derived from human induced pluripotent stem cells, confirming that cells cultured under electromechanical stimulation presented a defined/mature cardiomyocyte phenotype. This 3D printed device provides a unique high-throughput in vitro system that combines both mechanical and electrical stimulation, and as such, we foresee it finding applications in the study of any electrically responsive tissue such as muscles and nerves.
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Imsirovic J, Bartolák-Suki E, Jawde SB, Parameswaran H, Suki B. Blood pressure-induced physiological strain variability modulates wall structure and function in aorta rings. Physiol Meas 2018; 39:105014. [PMID: 30376453 DOI: 10.1088/1361-6579/aae65f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Vascular smooth muscle cells respond to mechanical stretch by reorganizing their cytoskeletal and contractile elements. Recently, we showed that contractile forces in rat aorta rings were maintained when the rings were exposed to 4 h of physiological variability in cycle-by-cycle strain, called variable stretch (VS), mimicking beat-to-beat blood pressure variability. Contractility, however, was reduced when the aorta was exposed to monotonous stretch (MS) with an amplitude equal to the mean peak strain of VS. OBJECTIVE Here we reanalyzed the data to obtain wall stiffness as well as added new histologic and inhibitor studies to test the effects of VS on the extracellular matrix. MAIN RESULTS The results demonstrate that while the stiffness of the aorta did not change during 4 h MS or VS, nonlinearity in mechanical behavior was slightly stronger following MS. The inhibitor studies also showed that mitochondrial energy production and cytoskeletal organization were involved in this fluctuation-driven mechanotransduction. Reorganization of β-actin in the smooth muscle layer quantified from immunohistochemically labeled images correlated with contractile forces during contraction. Histologic analysis of wall structure provided evidence of reorganization of elastin and collagen fibers following MS but less so following VS. The results suggested that the loss of muscle contraction in MS was compensated by reorganization of fiber structure leading to similar wall stiffness as in VS. SIGNIFICANCE We conclude that muscle tone modulated by variability in stretch plays a role in maintaining aortic wall structural and mechanical homeostasis with implications for vascular conditions characterized by a loss or an increase in blood pressure variability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jasmin Imsirovic
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States of America. These authors contributed equally to this work
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Atcha H, Davis CT, Sullivan NR, Smith TD, Anis S, Dahbour WZ, Robinson ZR, Grosberg A, Liu WF. A Low-Cost Mechanical Stretching Device for Uniaxial Strain of Cells: A Platform for Pedagogy in Mechanobiology. J Biomech Eng 2018; 140:2678940. [PMID: 30003248 PMCID: PMC6056193 DOI: 10.1115/1.4039949] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2018] [Revised: 03/30/2018] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Mechanical cues including stretch, compression, and shear stress play a critical role in regulating the behavior of many cell types, particularly those that experience substantial mechanical stress within tissues. Devices that impart mechanical stimulation to cells in vitro have been instrumental in helping to develop a better understanding of how cells respond to mechanical forces. However, these devices often have constraints, such as cost and limited functional capabilities, that restrict their use in research or educational environments. Here, we describe a low-cost method to fabricate a uniaxial cell stretcher that would enable widespread use and facilitate engineering design and mechanobiology education for undergraduate students. The device is capable of producing consistent and reliable strain profiles through the use of a servomotor, gear, and gear rack system. The servomotor can be programmed to output various waveforms at specific frequencies and stretch amplitudes by controlling the degree of rotation, speed, and acceleration of the servogear. In addition, the stretchable membranes are easy to fabricate and can be customized, allowing for greater flexibility in culture well size. We used the custom-built stretching device to uniaxially strain macrophages and cardiomyocytes, and found that both cell types displayed functional and cell shape changes that were consistent with the previous studies using commercially available systems. Overall, this uniaxial cell stretcher provides a more cost-effective alternative to study the effects of mechanical stretch on cells, and can therefore, be widely used in research and educational environments to broaden the study and pedagogy of cell mechanobiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hamza Atcha
- Department of Biomedical Engineering,
The Edwards Lifesciences Center for
Advanced Cardiovascular Technology,
University of California Irvine,
Irvine, CA 92697
| | - Chase T. Davis
- Department of Biomedical Engineering,
The Edwards Lifesciences Center for
Advanced Cardiovascular Technology,
University of California Irvine,
Irvine, CA 92697
| | - Nicholas R. Sullivan
- Department of Biomedical Engineering,
The Edwards Lifesciences Center for
Advanced Cardiovascular Technology,
University of California Irvine,
Irvine, CA 92697
| | - Tim D. Smith
- Department of Biomedical Engineering,
The Edwards Lifesciences Center for
Advanced Cardiovascular Technology,
University of California Irvine,
Irvine, CA 92697
| | - Sara Anis
- Department of Biomedical Engineering,
The Edwards Lifesciences Center for
Advanced Cardiovascular Technology,
University of California Irvine,
Irvine, CA 92697
| | - Waleed Z. Dahbour
- Department of Biomedical Engineering,
The Edwards Lifesciences Center for
Advanced Cardiovascular Technology,
University of California Irvine,
Irvine, CA 92697
| | - Zachery R. Robinson
- Department of Biomedical Engineering,
The Edwards Lifesciences Center for
Advanced Cardiovascular Technology,
University of California Irvine,
Irvine, CA 92697
| | - Anna Grosberg
- Department of Biomedical Engineering,Center for Complex Biological Systems,
The Edwards Lifesciences Center for
Advanced Cardiovascular Technology,
University of California Irvine,
Irvine, CA 92697
- Department of Chemical Engineeringand Materials Science,
University of California Irvine,
Irvine, CA 92697
e-mail:
| | - Wendy F. Liu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering,The Edwards Lifesciences Center for
Advanced Cardiovascular Technology,
University of California Irvine,
Irvine, CA 92697
- Department of Chemical Engineeringand Materials Science,
University of California Irvine,
Irvine, CA 92697
e-mail:
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Lei Y, Ferdous Z. Design considerations and challenges for mechanical stretch bioreactors in tissue engineering. Biotechnol Prog 2016; 32:543-53. [PMID: 26929197 DOI: 10.1002/btpr.2256] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2015] [Revised: 02/19/2016] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
With the increase in average life expectancy and growing aging population, lack of functional grafts for replacement surgeries has become a severe problem. Engineered tissues are a promising alternative to this problem because they can mimic the physiological function of the native tissues and be cultured on demand. Cyclic stretch is important for developing many engineered tissues such as hearts, heart valves, muscles, and bones. Thus a variety of stretch bioreactors and corresponding scaffolds have been designed and tested to study the underlying mechanism of tissue formation and to optimize the mechanical conditions applied to the engineered tissues. In this review, we look at various designs of stretch bioreactors and common scaffolds and offer insights for future improvements in tissue engineering applications. First, we summarize the requirements and common configuration of stretch bioreactors. Next, we present the features of different actuating and motion transforming systems and their applications. Since most bioreactors must measure detailed distributions of loads and deformations on engineered tissues, techniques with high accuracy, precision, and frequency have been developed. We also cover the key points in designing culture chambers, nutrition exchanging systems, and regimens used for specific tissues. Since scaffolds are essential for providing biophysical microenvironments for residing cells, we discuss materials and technologies used in fabricating scaffolds to mimic anisotropic native tissues, including decellularized tissues, hydrogels, biocompatible polymers, electrospinning, and 3D bioprinting techniques. Finally, we present the potential future directions for improving stretch bioreactors and scaffolds. © 2016 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog., 32:543-553, 2016.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Lei
- Dept. of Mechanical, Aerospace, and Biomedical Engineering, the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, 37996
| | - Zannatul Ferdous
- Dept. of Mechanical, Aerospace, and Biomedical Engineering, the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, 37996
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Imsirovic J, Wellman TJ, Mondoñedo JR, Bartolák-Suki E, Suki B. Design of a Novel Equi-Biaxial Stretcher for Live Cellular and Subcellular Imaging. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0140283. [PMID: 26466363 PMCID: PMC4605784 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0140283] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2015] [Accepted: 09/23/2015] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Cells in the body experience various mechanical stimuli that are often essential to proper cell function. In order to study the effects of mechanical stretch on cell function, several devices have been built to deliver cyclic stretch to cells; however, they are generally not practical for live cell imaging. We introduce a novel device that allows for live cell imaging, using either an upright or inverted microscope, during the delivery of cyclic stretch, which can vary in amplitude and frequency. The device delivers equi-biaxial strain to cells seeded on an elastic membrane via indentation of the membrane. Membrane area strain was calibrated to indenter depth and the device showed repeatable and accurate delivery of strain at the scale of individual cells. At the whole cell level, changes in intracellular calcium were measured at different membrane area strains, and showed an amplitude-dependent response. At the subcellular level, the mitochondrial network was imaged at increasing membrane area strains to demonstrate that stretch can lead to mitochondrial fission in lung fibroblasts. The device is a useful tool for studying transient as well as long-term mechanotransduction as it allows for simultaneous stretching and imaging of live cells in the presence of various chemical stimuli.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jasmin Imsirovic
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Tyler J. Wellman
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Jarred R. Mondoñedo
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Elizabeth Bartolák-Suki
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Béla Suki
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Davis CA, Zambrano S, Anumolu P, Allen ACB, Sonoqui L, Moreno MR. Device-Based In Vitro Techniques for Mechanical Stimulation of Vascular Cells: A Review. J Biomech Eng 2015; 137:040801. [DOI: 10.1115/1.4029016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2013] [Accepted: 11/07/2014] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
The most common cause of death in the developed world is cardiovascular disease. For decades, this has provided a powerful motivation to study the effects of mechanical forces on vascular cells in a controlled setting, since these cells have been implicated in the development of disease. Early efforts in the 1970 s included the first use of a parallel-plate flow system to apply shear stress to endothelial cells (ECs) and the development of uniaxial substrate stretching techniques (Krueger et al., 1971, “An in Vitro Study of Flow Response by Cells,” J. Biomech., 4(1), pp. 31–36 and Meikle et al., 1979, “Rabbit Cranial Sutures in Vitro: A New Experimental Model for Studying the Response of Fibrous Joints to Mechanical Stress,” Calcif. Tissue Int., 28(2), pp. 13–144). Since then, a multitude of in vitro devices have been designed and developed for mechanical stimulation of vascular cells and tissues in an effort to better understand their response to in vivo physiologic mechanical conditions. This article reviews the functional attributes of mechanical bioreactors developed in the 21st century, including their major advantages and disadvantages. Each of these systems has been categorized in terms of their primary loading modality: fluid shear stress (FSS), substrate distention, combined distention and fluid shear, or other applied forces. The goal of this article is to provide researchers with a survey of useful methodologies that can be adapted to studies in this area, and to clarify future possibilities for improved research methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caleb A. Davis
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843-3120 e-mail:
| | - Steve Zambrano
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843-3120 e-mail:
| | - Pratima Anumolu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843-3120 e-mail:
| | - Alicia C. B. Allen
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712-1801 e-mail:
| | - Leonardo Sonoqui
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843-3120 e-mail:
| | - Michael R. Moreno
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843-3123 e-mail:
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