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Li N, Kong X, Zhang X, Cao Y, Chen T, Li X. Modeling evolution of cell morphology under stretching. SOFT MATTER 2024; 20:6627-6634. [PMID: 39108167 DOI: 10.1039/d4sm00756e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/23/2024]
Abstract
The mechanical stimulation of cells from the surrounding environment is an important life activity. However, there has been a lack of dynamically quantitative analysis of cell morphology under mechanical stimulations. A theoretical model for the evolution of cell morphology under stretching is proposed by analyzing the transformation between cell deformation energy and adhesion energy. The images of the evolution show that detachment of the adhesion membrane or re-adhesion of the cell, causes a decrease or increase of the adhesion area, respectively. In addition to the stretching amplitude and velocity, we found that the duration of the stretching stage and the no stretching stage can affect the cell morphology during cyclic stretching. The theoretical model explains some counter-intuitive experimental results and provides many quantitative insights into understanding the physical mechanisms of cell adhesion under stretching. This study can provide a useful guide to control cell adhesion under mechanical stimulations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nanxin Li
- MOE Key Laboratory of Laser Life Science & Institute of Laser Life Science, College of Biophotonics, School of Optoelectronic Science and Engineering, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Laser Life Science, College of Biophotonics, School of Optoelectronic Science and Engineering, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China
| | - Xiangtian Kong
- MOE Key Laboratory of Laser Life Science & Institute of Laser Life Science, College of Biophotonics, School of Optoelectronic Science and Engineering, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Laser Life Science, College of Biophotonics, School of Optoelectronic Science and Engineering, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China
| | - Xiaoyao Zhang
- MOE Key Laboratory of Laser Life Science & Institute of Laser Life Science, College of Biophotonics, School of Optoelectronic Science and Engineering, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Laser Life Science, College of Biophotonics, School of Optoelectronic Science and Engineering, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China
| | - Yuanyuan Cao
- Institute of Nanosurface Science and Engineering (INSE), Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China
| | - Tongsheng Chen
- MOE Key Laboratory of Laser Life Science & Institute of Laser Life Science, College of Biophotonics, School of Optoelectronic Science and Engineering, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Laser Life Science, College of Biophotonics, School of Optoelectronic Science and Engineering, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China
- SCNU Qingyuan Institute of Science and Technology Innovation Co., Ltd, South China Normal University, Qingyuan 511500, China.
| | - Xinlei Li
- MOE Key Laboratory of Laser Life Science & Institute of Laser Life Science, College of Biophotonics, School of Optoelectronic Science and Engineering, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Laser Life Science, College of Biophotonics, School of Optoelectronic Science and Engineering, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China
- Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Spectral Analysis and Functional Probes, College of Biophotonics, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China.
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2
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Meng J, Xu X, Jiang C, Xia P, Xu P, Tian L, Xu Y, Li D, Tan Y, Ji B. Tensile force field plays a crucial role in local invasion of tumor cells through a mechano-chemical coupling mechanism. SOFT MATTER 2024. [PMID: 39027971 DOI: 10.1039/d4sm00335g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/20/2024]
Abstract
Cancer metastasis starts from early local invasion, during which tumor cells detach from the primary tumor, penetrate the extracellular matrix (ECM), and then invade neighboring tissues. However, the cellular mechanics in the detaching and penetrating processes have not been fully understood, and the underlying mechanisms that influence cell polarization and migration in the 3D matrix during tumor invasion remain largely unknown. In this study, we employed a dual tumor-spheroid model to investigate the cellular mechanisms of the tumor invasion. Our results revealed that the tensional force field developed by the active contraction of cells and tissues played a pivotal role in tumor invasion, acting as the driving force for remodeling the collagen fibers during the invasion process. The remodeled collagen fibers promoted cell polarization and migration because of the stiffening of the fiber matrix. The aligned fibers facilitated tumor cell invasion and directed migration from one spheroid to the other. Inhibiting/shielding the cellular contractility abolished matrix remodeling and re-alignment and significantly decreased tumor cell invasion. By developing a coarse-grained cell model that considers the mutual interaction between cells and fibers, we predicted the tensional force field in the fiber network and the associated cell polarization and cell-matrix interaction during cell invasion, which revealed a mechano-chemical coupling mechanism at the cellular level of the tumor invasion process. Our study highlights the roles of cellular mechanics at the early stage of tumor metastasis and may provide new therapeutic strategies for cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianfeng Meng
- Institute of Biomechanics and Applications, Department of Engineering Mechanics, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, China.
- Wenzhou Institute, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wenzhou 325001, China
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China.
| | - Xiangyu Xu
- Wenzhou Institute, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wenzhou 325001, China
- Key Laboratory of Biomechanics and Mechanobiology of Ministry of Education, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Biomedical Engineering, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Beihang University, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Chaohui Jiang
- Institute of Biomechanics and Applications, Department of Engineering Mechanics, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, China.
- Wenzhou Institute, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wenzhou 325001, China
| | - Peng Xia
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory for Cancer Molecular Cell Biology, Life Science Institute, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Pengfei Xu
- School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Liangfei Tian
- MOE Key Laboratory of Biomedical Engineering, Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Cardio-Cerebral Vascular Detection Technology and Medicinal Effectiveness Appraisal, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027, China
| | - Yingke Xu
- MOE Key Laboratory of Biomedical Engineering, Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Cardio-Cerebral Vascular Detection Technology and Medicinal Effectiveness Appraisal, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027, China
| | - Dechang Li
- Institute of Biomechanics and Applications, Department of Engineering Mechanics, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, China.
| | - Youhua Tan
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China.
| | - Baohua Ji
- Institute of Biomechanics and Applications, Department of Engineering Mechanics, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, China.
- Eye Center, The Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027, China
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3
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Jakob R, Britt BR, Giampietro C, Mazza E, Ehret AE. Discrete network models of endothelial cells and their interactions with the substrate. Biomech Model Mechanobiol 2024; 23:941-957. [PMID: 38351427 PMCID: PMC11101350 DOI: 10.1007/s10237-023-01815-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2023] [Accepted: 12/30/2023] [Indexed: 05/18/2024]
Abstract
Endothelial cell monolayers line the inner surfaces of blood and lymphatic vessels. They are continuously exposed to different mechanical loads, which may trigger mechanobiological signals and hence play a role in both physiological and pathological processes. Computer-based mechanical models of cells contribute to a better understanding of the relation between cell-scale loads and cues and the mechanical state of the hosting tissue. However, the confluency of the endothelial monolayer complicates these approaches since the intercellular cross-talk needs to be accounted for in addition to the cytoskeletal mechanics of the individual cells themselves. As a consequence, the computational approach must be able to efficiently model a large number of cells and their interaction. Here, we simulate cytoskeletal mechanics by means of molecular dynamics software, generally suitable to deal with large, locally interacting systems. Methods were developed to generate models of single cells and large monolayers with hundreds of cells. The single-cell model was considered for a comparison with experimental data. To this end, we simulated cell interactions with a continuous, deformable substrate, and computationally replicated multistep traction force microscopy experiments on endothelial cells. The results indicate that cell discrete network models are able to capture relevant features of the mechanical behaviour and are thus well-suited to investigate the mechanics of the large cytoskeletal network of individual cells and cell monolayers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raphael Jakob
- Institute for Mechanical Systems, ETH Zurich, CH-8092, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Ben R Britt
- Institute for Mechanical Systems, ETH Zurich, CH-8092, Zürich, Switzerland
- Empa, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, CH-8600, Dübendorf, Switzerland
| | - Costanza Giampietro
- Institute for Mechanical Systems, ETH Zurich, CH-8092, Zürich, Switzerland
- Empa, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, CH-8600, Dübendorf, Switzerland
| | - Edoardo Mazza
- Institute for Mechanical Systems, ETH Zurich, CH-8092, Zürich, Switzerland
- Empa, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, CH-8600, Dübendorf, Switzerland
| | - Alexander E Ehret
- Institute for Mechanical Systems, ETH Zurich, CH-8092, Zürich, Switzerland.
- Empa, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, CH-8600, Dübendorf, Switzerland.
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4
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Guan LY, Lin SZ, Chen PC, Lv JQ, Li B, Feng XQ. Interfacial Organization and Forces Arising from Epithelial-Cancerous Monolayer Interactions. ACS NANO 2023; 17:24668-24684. [PMID: 38091551 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.3c03990] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2023]
Abstract
The interfacial interactions between epithelia and cancer cells have profound relevance for tumor development and metastasis. Through monolayer confrontation of MCF10A (nontumorigenic human breast epithelial cells) and MDA-MB-231 (human epithelial breast cancer cells) cells, we investigate the epithelial-cancerous interfacial interactions at the tissue level. We show that the monolayer interaction leads to competitive interfacial morphodynamics and drives an intricate spatial organization of MCF10A cells into multicellular finger-like structures, which further branch into multiple subfinger-like structures. These hierarchical interfacial structures penetrate the cancer monolayer and can spontaneously segregate or even envelop cancer cell clusters, consistent with our theoretical prediction. By tracking the substrate displacements via embedded fluorescent nanobeads and implementing nanomechanical modeling that combines atomic force microscopy and finite element simulations, we computed mechanical force patterns, including traction forces and monolayer stresses, caused by the monolayer interaction. It is found that the heterogeneous mechanical forces accumulated in the monolayers are able to squeeze cancer cells, leading to three-dimensional interfacial bulges or cell extrusion, initiating the p53 apoptosis signaling pathways of cancer cells. We reveal that intercellular E-cadherin and P-cadherin of epithelial cells differentially regulate the interfacial organization including migration speed, directionality, spatial correlation, F-actin alignment, and subcellular protrusions of MCF10A cells; whereas E-cadherin governs interfacial geometry that is relevant to force localization and cancer cell extrusion, P-cadherin maintains interfacial integrity that enables long-range force transmission. Our findings suggest that the collaborative molecular and mechanical behaviors are crucial for preventing epithelial tissues from undergoing tumor invasion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liu-Yuan Guan
- Institute of Biomechanics and Medical Engineering, Applied Mechanics Laboratory, Department of Engineering Mechanics, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Shao-Zhen Lin
- Institute of Biomechanics and Medical Engineering, Applied Mechanics Laboratory, Department of Engineering Mechanics, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Peng-Cheng Chen
- Institute of Biomechanics and Medical Engineering, Applied Mechanics Laboratory, Department of Engineering Mechanics, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Jian-Qing Lv
- Institute of Biomechanics and Medical Engineering, Applied Mechanics Laboratory, Department of Engineering Mechanics, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Bo Li
- Institute of Biomechanics and Medical Engineering, Applied Mechanics Laboratory, Department of Engineering Mechanics, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Xi-Qiao Feng
- Institute of Biomechanics and Medical Engineering, Applied Mechanics Laboratory, Department of Engineering Mechanics, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
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5
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Arce FT, Younger S, Gaber AA, Mascarenhas JB, Rodriguez M, Dudek SM, Garcia JGN. Lamellipodia dynamics and microrheology in endothelial cell paracellular gap closure. Biophys J 2023; 122:4730-4747. [PMID: 37978804 PMCID: PMC10754712 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2023.11.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2023] [Revised: 05/06/2023] [Accepted: 11/16/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Vascular endothelial cells (ECs) form a semipermeable barrier separating vascular contents from the interstitium, thereby regulating the movement of water and molecular solutes across small intercellular gaps, which are continuously forming and closing. Under inflammatory conditions, however, larger EC gaps form resulting in increased vascular leakiness to circulating fluid, proteins, and cells, which results in organ edema and dysfunction responsible for key pathophysiologic findings in numerous inflammatory disorders. In this study, we extend our earlier work examining the biophysical properties of EC gap formation and now address the role of lamellipodia, thin sheet-like membrane projections from the leading edge, in modulating EC spatial-specific contractile properties and gap closure. Micropillars, fabricated by soft lithography, were utilized to form reproducible paracellular gaps in human lung ECs. Using time-lapse imaging via optical microscopy, rates of EC gap closure and motility were measured with and without EC stimulation with the barrier-enhancing sphingolipid, sphingosine-1-phosphate. Peripheral ruffle formation was ubiquitous during gap closure. Kymographs were generated to quantitatively compare the lamellipodia dynamics of sphingosine-1-phosphate-stimulated and -unstimulated ECs. Utilizing atomic force microscopy, we characterized the viscoelastic behavior of EC lamellipodia. Our results indicate decreased stiffness and increased liquid-like behavior of expanding lamellipodia compared with regions away from the cellular edge (lamella and cell body) during EC gap closure, results in sync with the rapid kinetics of protrusion/retraction motion. We hypothesize this dissipative EC behavior during gap closure is linked to actomyosin cytoskeletal rearrangement and decreased cross-linking during lamellipodia expansion. In summary, these studies of the kinetic and mechanical properties of EC lamellipodia and ruffles at gap boundaries yield insights into the mechanisms of vascular barrier restoration and potentially a model system for examining the druggability of lamellipodial protein targets to enhance vascular barrier integrity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fernando Teran Arce
- The Herbert Wertheim UF Scripps Institute for Biomedical Innovation & Technology, University of Florida, Jupiter, Florida.
| | - Scott Younger
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona
| | - Amir A Gaber
- Department of Medicine, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona
| | | | - Marisela Rodriguez
- The Herbert Wertheim UF Scripps Institute for Biomedical Innovation & Technology, University of Florida, Jupiter, Florida; Department of Medicine, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona
| | - Steven M Dudek
- Department of Medicine, The University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Joe G N Garcia
- The Herbert Wertheim UF Scripps Institute for Biomedical Innovation & Technology, University of Florida, Jupiter, Florida.
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6
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Mokhtar SMA, Derrick-Roberts ALK, Evans DR, Strudwick XL. Cell Viability Assessment of PEDOT Conducting Polymer-Coated Microneedles for Skin Sampling. ACS APPLIED BIO MATERIALS 2023; 6:4662-4671. [PMID: 37902811 DOI: 10.1021/acsabm.3c00416] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/31/2023]
Abstract
Recently, transdermal monitoring and drug delivery have gained much interest, owing to the introduction of the minimally invasive microneedle (MN) device. The advancement of electroactive MNs electrically assisted in the capture of biomarkers or the triggering of drug release. Recent works have combined conducting polymers (CPs) onto MNs owing to the soft nature of the polymers and their tunable ionic and electronic conductivity. Though CPs are reported to work safely in the body, their biocompatibility in the skin has been insufficiently investigated. Furthermore, during electrical biasing of CPs, they undergo reduction or oxidation, which in practical terms leads to release/exchange of ions, which could pose biological risks. This work investigates the viability and proliferation of skin cells upon exposure to an electrochemically biased MN pair comprising two differently doped poly(3,4-ethylenedioxy-thiophene) (PEDOT) polymers that have been designed for skin sampling use. The impact of biasing on human keratinocytes and dermal fibroblasts was determined at different initial cell seeding densities and incubation periods. Indirect testing was employed, whereby the culture media was first exposed to PEDOTs prior to the addition of this extract to cells. In all conditions, both unbiased and biased PEDOT extracts showed no cytotoxicity, but the viability and proliferation of cells cultured at a low cell seeding density were lower than those of the control after 48 h of incubation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siti Musliha Ajmal Mokhtar
- Future Industries Institute, UniSA STEM, University of South Australia, Mawson Lakes, SA 5095, Australia
- College of Engineering, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Johor Branch, Pasir Gudang Campus, Masai, Johor 81750, Malaysia
| | | | - Drew R Evans
- Future Industries Institute, UniSA STEM, University of South Australia, Mawson Lakes, SA 5095, Australia
| | - Xanthe L Strudwick
- Future Industries Institute, UniSA STEM, University of South Australia, Mawson Lakes, SA 5095, Australia
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7
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Xu J, Wang Q, Li X, Zheng Y, Ji B. Cellular mechanisms of wound closure under cyclic stretching. Biophys J 2023; 122:2404-2420. [PMID: 36966361 PMCID: PMC10322892 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2023.03.034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2022] [Revised: 02/23/2023] [Accepted: 03/22/2023] [Indexed: 03/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Wound closure is a fundamental process in many physiological and pathological processes, but the regulating effects of external force on the closure process are still unclear. Here, we systematically studied the closure process of wounds of different shape under cyclic stretching. We found that the stretching amplitude and direction had significant effect on the healing speed and healing mode. For instance, there was a biphasic dependence of the healing speed on the stretching amplitude. That is, the wound closure was faster under relatively small and large amplitude, while it was slower under intermediate amplitude. At the same time, the stretching could regulate the healing pattern. We showed that the stretching would increase the healing speed along the direction perpendicular to the stretching direction. Specifically, when the stretching was along the major axis of the wound, it accelerated the healing speed along the short axis, which induced a rosette to stitching-line mode transition. In contrast, stretching along the minor axis accelerated the healing speed along the long axis, inducing a stitching-line to rosette mode transition. Our theoretical analyses demonstrated that the wound closure process was coregulated by the mechanical factors including prestress in the cytoskeleton, the protrusion of cells, and the contraction of the actin ring, as well as the geometry of the wound. The cyclic stretch could further modulate the roles of these factors. For example, the stretching changed the stress field in the cell layer, and switched the direction of cell protrusions. This article reveals important cellular mechanisms of the wound healing process under cyclic stretching, and provides an insight into possible approaches of regulating cell collective behaviors via mechanical forces.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiayi Xu
- Department of Applied Mechanics, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing, China; Wenzhou Key Laboratory of Biophysics, Wenzhou Institute, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wenzhou, China
| | - Qianchun Wang
- Wenzhou Key Laboratory of Biophysics, Wenzhou Institute, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wenzhou, China
| | - Xiaojun Li
- Department of Applied Mechanics, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing, China
| | - Yifei Zheng
- Institute of Biomechanics and Applications, Department of Engineering Mechanics, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Baohua Ji
- Institute of Biomechanics and Applications, Department of Engineering Mechanics, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.
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8
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Shao X, Zhang Y, Lin Y. Cyclic stretch-regulated wound healing. Biophys J 2023; 122:2381-2382. [PMID: 37098651 PMCID: PMC10322868 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2023.04.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2023] [Revised: 04/19/2023] [Accepted: 04/20/2023] [Indexed: 04/27/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Xueying Shao
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong; Advanced Biomedical Instrumentation Centre, Hong Kong Science Park, Shatin, New Territories, Hong Kong
| | - Yuanjun Zhang
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Yuan Lin
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong; Advanced Biomedical Instrumentation Centre, Hong Kong Science Park, Shatin, New Territories, Hong Kong.
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9
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Dow LP, Parmar T, Marchetti MC, Pruitt BL. Engineering tools for quantifying and manipulating forces in epithelia. BIOPHYSICS REVIEWS 2023; 4:021303. [PMID: 38510344 PMCID: PMC10903508 DOI: 10.1063/5.0142537] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2023] [Accepted: 04/20/2023] [Indexed: 03/22/2024]
Abstract
The integrity of epithelia is maintained within dynamic mechanical environments during tissue development and homeostasis. Understanding how epithelial cells mechanosignal and respond collectively or individually is critical to providing insight into developmental and (patho)physiological processes. Yet, inferring or mimicking mechanical forces and downstream mechanical signaling as they occur in epithelia presents unique challenges. A variety of in vitro approaches have been used to dissect the role of mechanics in regulating epithelia organization. Here, we review approaches and results from research into how epithelial cells communicate through mechanical cues to maintain tissue organization and integrity. We summarize the unique advantages and disadvantages of various reduced-order model systems to guide researchers in choosing appropriate experimental systems. These model systems include 3D, 2D, and 1D micromanipulation methods, single cell studies, and noninvasive force inference and measurement techniques. We also highlight a number of in silico biophysical models that are informed by in vitro and in vivo observations. Together, a combination of theoretical and experimental models will aid future experiment designs and provide predictive insight into mechanically driven behaviors of epithelial dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Toshi Parmar
- Department of Physics, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, California 93106, USA
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10
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Jebeli M, Lopez SK, Goldblatt ZE, McCollum D, Mana-Capelli S, Wen Q, Billiar K. Multicellular aligned bands disrupt global collective cell behavior. Acta Biomater 2023; 163:117-130. [PMID: 36306982 PMCID: PMC10334361 DOI: 10.1016/j.actbio.2022.10.041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2022] [Revised: 10/10/2022] [Accepted: 10/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Mechanical stress patterns emerging from collective cell behavior have been shown to play critical roles in morphogenesis, tissue repair, and cancer metastasis. In our previous work, we constrained valvular interstitial cell (VIC) monolayers on circular protein islands to study emergent behavior in a controlled manner and demonstrated that the general patterns of cell alignment, size, and apoptosis correlate with predicted mechanical stress fields if radially increasing stiffness or contractility are used in the computational models. However, these radially symmetric models did not predict the existence of local regions of dense aligned cells observed in seemingly random locations of individual aggregates. The goal of this study is to determine how the heterogeneities in cell behavior emerge over time and diverge from the predicted collective cell behavior. Cell-cell interactions in circular multicellular aggregates of VICs were studied with time-lapse imaging ranging from hours to days, and migration, proliferation, and traction stresses were measured. Our results indicate that elongated cells create strong local alignment within preconfluent cell populations on the microcontact printed protein islands. These cells influence the alignment of additional cells to create dense, locally aligned bands of cells which disrupt the predicted global behavior. Cells are highly elongated at the endpoints of the bands yet have decreased spread area in the middle and reduced mobility. Although traction stresses at the endpoints of bands are enhanced, even to the point of detaching aggregates from the culture surface, the cells in dense bands exhibit reduced proliferation, less nuclear YAP, and increased apoptotic rates indicating a low stress environment. These findings suggest that strong local cell-cell interactions between primary fibroblastic cells can disrupt the global collective cellular behavior leading to substantial heterogeneity of cell behaviors in constrained monolayers. This local emergent behavior within aggregated fibroblasts may play an important role in development and disease of connective tissues. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: Mechanical stress patterns emerging from collective cell behavior play critical roles in morphogenesis, tissue repair, and cancer metastasis. Much has been learned of these collective behaviors by utilizing microcontact printing to constrain cell monolayers (aggregates) into specific shapes. Here we utilize these tools along with long-term video microscopy tracking of individual aggregates to determine how heterogeneous collective behaviors unique to primary fibroblastic cells emerge over time and diverge from computed stress fields. We find that dense multicellular bands form from local collective behavior and disrupt the global collective behavior resulting in heterogeneous patterns of migration, traction stresses, proliferation, and apoptosis. This local emergent behavior within aggregated fibroblasts may play an important role in development and disease of connective tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mahvash Jebeli
- Biomedical Engineering Department, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester MA, USA
| | - Samantha K Lopez
- Biomedical Engineering Department, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester MA, USA
| | - Zachary E Goldblatt
- Biomedical Engineering Department, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester MA, USA
| | - Dannel McCollum
- University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester MA, USA
| | | | - Qi Wen
- Physics Department, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester MA, USA
| | - Kristen Billiar
- Biomedical Engineering Department, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester MA, USA.
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11
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Three-dimensional chiral morphodynamics of chemomechanical active shells. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2022; 119:e2206159119. [PMID: 36442097 PMCID: PMC9894169 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2206159119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Morphogenesis of active shells such as cells is a fundamental chemomechanical process that often exhibits three-dimensional (3D) large deformations and chemical pattern dynamics simultaneously. Here, we establish a chemomechanical active shell theory accounting for mechanical feedback and biochemical regulation to investigate the symmetry-breaking and 3D chiral morphodynamics emerging in the cell cortex. The active bending and stretching of the elastic shells are regulated by biochemical signals like actomyosin and RhoA, which, in turn, exert mechanical feedback on the biochemical events via deformation-dependent diffusion and inhibition. We show that active deformations can trigger chemomechanical bifurcations, yielding pulse spiral waves and global oscillations, which, with increasing mechanical feedback, give way to traveling or standing waves subsequently. Mechanical feedback is also found to contribute to stabilizing the polarity of emerging patterns, thus ensuring robust morphogenesis. Our results reproduce and unravel the experimentally observed solitary and multiple spiral patterns, which initiate asymmetric cleavage in Xenopus and starfish embryogenesis. This study underscores the crucial roles of mechanical feedback in cell development and also suggests a chemomechanical framework allowing for 3D large deformation and chemical signaling to explore complex morphogenesis in living shell-like structures.
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12
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Li B. Chemo-mechanical feedback in collective cell migration. Biophys J 2022; 121:1117-1118. [PMID: 35279223 PMCID: PMC9034287 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2022.03.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2022] [Revised: 03/01/2022] [Accepted: 03/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Bo Li
- Institute of Biomechanics and Medical Engineering, Applied Mechanics Laboratory, Department of Engineering Mechanics, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China.
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13
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Mechanobiology in wound healing. Biophys J 2022; 121:173-174. [PMID: 34953534 PMCID: PMC8790220 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2021.12.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2021] [Revised: 12/03/2021] [Accepted: 12/09/2021] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
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