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Ren K, Feng J, Bi H, Sun Q, Li X, Han D. AFM-Based Poroelastic@Membrane Analysis of Cells and its Opportunities for Translational Medicine. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2023; 19:e2303610. [PMID: 37403276 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202303610] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2023] [Revised: 06/09/2023] [Indexed: 07/06/2023]
Abstract
Cell mechanics is an emerging field of research for translational medicine. Here, the cell is modeled as poroelastic cytoplasm wrapped by tensile membrane (poroelastic@membrane model) and is characterized by the atomic force microscopy (AFM). The parameters of cytoskeleton network modulus EC , cytoplasmic apparent viscosity ηC , and cytoplasmic diffusion coefficient DC are used to describe the mechanical behavior of cytoplasm, and membrane tension γ is used to evaluate the cell membrane. Poroelastic@membrane analysis of breast cells and urothelial cells show that non-cancer cells and cancer cells have different distribution regions and distribution trends in the four-dimensional space composed of EC , ηC . From non-cancer to cancer cells, there is often a trend of γ, EC , ηC decreases and DC increases. Patients with urothelial carcinoma at different malignant stages can be distinguished at high sensitivity and specificity by analyzing the urothelial cells from tissue or urine. However, sampling directly from tumor tissues is an invasive method, may lead to undesirable consequences. Thus, AFM-based poroelastic@membrane analysis of urothelial cells from urine may provide a non-invasive and no-bio-label method to detecting urothelial carcinoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keli Ren
- CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, No.11 ZhongGuanCun BeiYiTiao, Haidian, Beijing, 100191, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, No.1 Yanqihu East Rd, Huairou Distric, Beijing, 100190, China
| | - Jiantao Feng
- Artemisinin Research Center and Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, No.16, Nanxiao street, Dongzhimen, Dongcheng, Beijing, 100700, China
| | - Hai Bi
- Department of Urology, Peking University Third Hospital, 49 North Garden Rd., Haidian, Beijing, 100191, China
| | - Quanmei Sun
- CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, No.11 ZhongGuanCun BeiYiTiao, Haidian, Beijing, 100191, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, No.1 Yanqihu East Rd, Huairou Distric, Beijing, 100190, China
| | - Xiang Li
- CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, No.11 ZhongGuanCun BeiYiTiao, Haidian, Beijing, 100191, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, No.1 Yanqihu East Rd, Huairou Distric, Beijing, 100190, China
| | - Dong Han
- CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, No.11 ZhongGuanCun BeiYiTiao, Haidian, Beijing, 100191, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, No.1 Yanqihu East Rd, Huairou Distric, Beijing, 100190, China
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2
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Liu S, Li Y, Hong Y, Wang M, Zhang H, Ma J, Qu K, Huang G, Lu TJ. Mechanotherapy in oncology: Targeting nuclear mechanics and mechanotransduction. Adv Drug Deliv Rev 2023; 194:114722. [PMID: 36738968 DOI: 10.1016/j.addr.2023.114722] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2022] [Revised: 12/23/2022] [Accepted: 01/28/2023] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Mechanotherapy is proposed as a new option for cancer treatment. Increasing evidence suggests that characteristic differences are present in the nuclear mechanics and mechanotransduction of cancer cells compared with those of normal cells. Recent advances in understanding nuclear mechanics and mechanotransduction provide not only further insights into the process of malignant transformation but also useful references for developing new therapeutic approaches. Herein, we present an overview of the alterations of nuclear mechanics and mechanotransduction in cancer cells and highlight their implications in cancer mechanotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shaobao Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Mechanics and Control of Mechanical Structures, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing 210016, PR China; MIIT Key Laboratory of Multifunctional Lightweight Materials and Structures, Nanjing University of Aeronautics, Nanjing 210016, PR China
| | - Yuan Li
- MOE Key Laboratory of Biomedical Information Engineering, School of Life Science and Technology, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710049, PR China; Bioinspired Engineering and Biomechanics Center (BEBC), Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710049, PR China
| | - Yuan Hong
- MOE Key Laboratory of Biomedical Information Engineering, School of Life Science and Technology, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710049, PR China; Bioinspired Engineering and Biomechanics Center (BEBC), Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710049, PR China; National Science Foundation Science and Technology Center for Engineering Mechanobiology, Washington University, St. Louis, MO 63130, USA
| | - Ming Wang
- MOE Key Laboratory of Biomedical Information Engineering, School of Life Science and Technology, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710049, PR China; Bioinspired Engineering and Biomechanics Center (BEBC), Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710049, PR China
| | - Hao Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Mechanics and Control of Mechanical Structures, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing 210016, PR China; MIIT Key Laboratory of Multifunctional Lightweight Materials and Structures, Nanjing University of Aeronautics, Nanjing 210016, PR China
| | - Jinlu Ma
- Department of Radiation Oncology, the First Affiliated Hospital, Xian Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710061, PR China
| | - Kai Qu
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital, Xian Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710061, PR China
| | - Guoyou Huang
- Department of Engineering Mechanics, School of Civil Engineering, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, PR China.
| | - Tian Jian Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Mechanics and Control of Mechanical Structures, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing 210016, PR China; MIIT Key Laboratory of Multifunctional Lightweight Materials and Structures, Nanjing University of Aeronautics, Nanjing 210016, PR China.
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Nanoscale geometry determines mechanical biocompatibility of vertically aligned nanofibers. Acta Biomater 2022; 146:235-247. [PMID: 35487425 DOI: 10.1016/j.actbio.2022.04.032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2021] [Revised: 04/11/2022] [Accepted: 04/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Vertically aligned carbon nanofibers (VACNFs) are promising material candidates for neural biosensors due to their ability to detect neurotransmitters in physiological concentrations. However, the expected high rigidity of CNFs could induce mechanical mismatch with the brain tissue, eliciting formation of a glial scar around the electrode and thus loss of functionality. We have evaluated mechanical biocompatibility of VACNFs by growing nickel-catalyzed carbon nanofibers of different lengths and inter-fiber distances. Long nanofibers with large inter-fiber distance prevented maturation of focal adhesions, thus constraining cells from obtaining a highly spread morphology that is observed when astrocytes are being contacted with stiff materials commonly used in neural implants. A silicon nanopillar array with 500 nm inter-pillar distance was used to reveal that this inhibition of focal adhesion maturation occurs due to the surface nanoscale geometry, more precisely the inter-fiber distance. Live cell atomic force microscopy was used to confirm astrocytes being significantly softer on the long Ni-CNFs compared to other surfaces, including a soft gelatin hydrogel. We also observed hippocampal neurons to mature and form synaptic contacts when being cultured on both long and short carbon nanofibers, without having to use any adhesive proteins or a glial monoculture, indicating high cytocompatibility of the material also with neuronal population. In contrast, neurons cultured on a planar tetrahedral amorphous carbon sample showed immature neurites and indications of early-stage apoptosis. Our results demonstrate that mechanical biocompatibility of biomaterials is greatly affected by their nanoscale surface geometry, which provides means for controlling how the materials and their mechanical properties are perceived by the cells. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: Our research article shows, how nanoscale surface geometry determines mechanical biocompatibility of apparently stiff materials. Specifically, astrocytes were prevented from obtaining highly spread morphology when their adhesion site maturation was inhibited, showing similar morphology on nominally stiff vertically aligned carbon fiber (VACNF) substrates as when being cultured on ultrasoft surfaces. Furthermore, hippocampal neurons matured well and formed synapses on these carbon nanofibers, indicating high biocompatibility of the materials. Interestingly, the same VACNF materials that were used in this study have earlier also been proven to be capable for electrophysiological recordings and sensing neurotransmitters at physiological concentrations with ultra-high sensitivity and selectivity, thus providing a platform for future neural probes or smart culturing surfaces with superior sensing performance and biocompatibility.
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Mierke CT. Viscoelasticity, Like Forces, Plays a Role in Mechanotransduction. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:789841. [PMID: 35223831 PMCID: PMC8864183 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.789841] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2021] [Accepted: 01/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Viscoelasticity and its alteration in time and space has turned out to act as a key element in fundamental biological processes in living systems, such as morphogenesis and motility. Based on experimental and theoretical findings it can be proposed that viscoelasticity of cells, spheroids and tissues seems to be a collective characteristic that demands macromolecular, intracellular component and intercellular interactions. A major challenge is to couple the alterations in the macroscopic structural or material characteristics of cells, spheroids and tissues, such as cell and tissue phase transitions, to the microscopic interferences of their elements. Therefore, the biophysical technologies need to be improved, advanced and connected to classical biological assays. In this review, the viscoelastic nature of cytoskeletal, extracellular and cellular networks is presented and discussed. Viscoelasticity is conceptualized as a major contributor to cell migration and invasion and it is discussed whether it can serve as a biomarker for the cells’ migratory capacity in several biological contexts. It can be hypothesized that the statistical mechanics of intra- and extracellular networks may be applied in the future as a powerful tool to explore quantitatively the biomechanical foundation of viscoelasticity over a broad range of time and length scales. Finally, the importance of the cellular viscoelasticity is illustrated in identifying and characterizing multiple disorders, such as cancer, tissue injuries, acute or chronic inflammations or fibrotic diseases.
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Kulkarni T, Mukhopadhyay D, Bhattacharya S. Dynamic alteration of poroelastic attributes as determinant membrane nanorheology for endocytosis of organ specific targeted gold nanoparticles. J Nanobiotechnology 2022; 20:74. [PMID: 35135558 PMCID: PMC8822666 DOI: 10.1186/s12951-022-01276-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2021] [Accepted: 01/20/2022] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Efficacy of targeted drug delivery using nanoparticles relies on several factors including the uptake mechanisms such as phagocytosis, macropinocytosis, micropinocytosis and receptor mediated endocytosis. These mechanisms have been studied with respect to the alteration in signaling mechanisms, cellular morphology, and linear nanomechanical properties (NMPs). Commonly employed classical contact mechanics models to address cellular NMPs fail to address mesh like structure consisting of bilayer lipids and proteins of cell membrane. To overcome this technical challenge, we employed poroelastic model which accounts for the biphasic nature of cells including their porous behavior exhibiting both solid like (fluid storage) and liquid like (fluid dissipate) behavior. Results In this study, we employed atomic force microscopy to monitor the influence of surface engineering of gold nanoparticles (GNPs) to the alteration of nonlinear NMPs such as drained Poisson’s ratio, effective shear stress, diffusion constant and pore dimensions of cell membranes during their uptake. Herein, we used pancreatic cancer (PDAC) cell lines including Panc1, AsPC-1 and endothelial cell (HUVECs) to understand the receptor-dependent and -independent endocytosis of two different GNPs derived using plectin-1 targeting peptide (PTP-GNP) and corresponding scrambled peptide (sPEP-GNP). Compared to untreated cells, in case of receptor dependent endocytosis of PTP-GNPs diffusion coefficient altered ~ 1264-fold and ~ 1530-fold and pore size altered ~ 320-fold and ~ 260-fold in Panc1 and AsPC-1 cells, respectively. Whereas for receptor independent mechanisms, we observed modest alteration in diffusion coefficient and pore size, in these cells compared to untreated cells. Effective shear stress corresponding to 7.38 ± 0.15 kPa and 20.49 ± 0.39 kPa in PTP-GNP treatment in Panc1 and AsPC-1, respectively was significantly more than that for sPEP-GNP. These results demonstrate that with temporal recruitment of plectin-1 during receptor mediated endocytosis affects the poroelastic attributes of the membrane. Conclusion This study confirms that nonlinear NMPs of cell membrane are directly associated with the uptake mechanism of nanoparticles and can provide promising insights of the nature of endocytosis mechanism involved for organ specific drug delivery using nanoparticles. Hence, nanomechanical analysis of cell membrane using this noninvasive, label-free and live-cell analytical tool can therefore be instrumental to evaluate therapeutic benefit of nanoformulations. Graphical Abstract ![]()
Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12951-022-01276-1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tanmay Kulkarni
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Mayo College of Medicine and Science, Griffin 413, Mayo Clinic Florida, 4500 San Pablo Road S, Jacksonville, FL, 32224, USA
| | - Debabrata Mukhopadhyay
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Mayo College of Medicine and Science, Griffin 413, Mayo Clinic Florida, 4500 San Pablo Road S, Jacksonville, FL, 32224, USA.,Department of Physiology and Biomedical Engineering, Mayo College of Medicine and Science, Jacksonville, FL, USA
| | - Santanu Bhattacharya
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Mayo College of Medicine and Science, Griffin 413, Mayo Clinic Florida, 4500 San Pablo Road S, Jacksonville, FL, 32224, USA. .,Department of Physiology and Biomedical Engineering, Mayo College of Medicine and Science, Jacksonville, FL, USA.
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Esteki MH, Malandrino A, Alemrajabi AA, Sheridan GK, Charras G, Moeendarbary E. Poroelastic osmoregulation of living cell volume. iScience 2021; 24:103482. [PMID: 34927026 PMCID: PMC8649806 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2021.103482] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2021] [Revised: 08/19/2021] [Accepted: 11/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Cells maintain their volume through fine intracellular osmolarity regulation. Osmotic challenges drive fluid into or out of cells causing swelling or shrinkage, respectively. The dynamics of cell volume changes depending on the rheology of the cellular constituents and on how fast the fluid permeates through the membrane and cytoplasm. We investigated whether and how poroelasticity can describe volume dynamics in response to osmotic shocks. We exposed cells to osmotic perturbations and used defocusing epifluorescence microscopy on membrane-attached fluorescent nanospheres to track volume dynamics with high spatiotemporal resolution. We found that a poroelastic model that considers both geometrical and pressurization rates captures fluid-cytoskeleton interactions, which are rate-limiting factors in controlling volume changes at short timescales. Linking cellular responses to osmotic shocks and cell mechanics through poroelasticity can predict the cell state in health, disease, or in response to novel therapeutics. Cell height changes can be finely captured by defocusing microscopy Water permeation and cellular deformability regulate dynamics of cell volume changes Poroelasticity describes the dynamics of cell volume changes The response of cell to hypo or hyperosmotic shocks are modeled by poroelasticity
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Hadi Esteki
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Isfahan University of Technology, Isfahan, Iran.,Department of Mechanical Engineering, University College London, London, UK
| | - Andrea Malandrino
- Biomaterials, Biomechanics and Tissue Engineering Group, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Ali Akbar Alemrajabi
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Isfahan University of Technology, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Graham K Sheridan
- School of Life Sciences, Queens Medical Centre, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
| | - Guillaume Charras
- London Centre for Nanotechnology, University College London, London, UK.,Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London, London, UK.,Institute for the Physics of Living Systems, University College London, London, UK
| | - Emad Moeendarbary
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University College London, London, UK.,Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
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Liang W, Shi H, Yang X, Wang J, Yang W, Zhang H, Liu L. Recent advances in AFM-based biological characterization and applications at multiple levels. SOFT MATTER 2020; 16:8962-8984. [PMID: 32996549 DOI: 10.1039/d0sm01106a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Atomic force microscopy (AFM) has found a wide range of bio-applications in the past few decades due to its ability to measure biological samples in natural environments at a high spatial resolution. AFM has become a key platform in biomedical, bioengineering and drug research fields, enabling mechanical and morphological characterization of live biological systems. Hence, we provide a comprehensive review on recent advances in the use of AFM for characterizing the biomechanical properties of multi-scale biological samples, ranging from molecule, cell to tissue levels. First, we present the fundamental principles of AFM and two AFM-based models for the characterization of biomechanical properties of biological samples, covering key AFM devices and AFM bioimaging as well as theoretical models for characterizing the elasticity and viscosity of biomaterials. Then, we elaborate on a series of new experimental findings through analysis of biomechanics. Finally, we discuss the future directions and challenges. It is envisioned that the AFM technique will enable many remarkable discoveries, and will have far-reaching impacts on bio-related studies and applications in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenfeng Liang
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Shenyang Jianzhu University, Shenyang, 110168, China.
| | - Haohao Shi
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Shenyang Jianzhu University, Shenyang, 110168, China.
| | - Xieliu Yang
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Shenyang Jianzhu University, Shenyang, 110168, China.
| | - Junhai Wang
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Shenyang Jianzhu University, Shenyang, 110168, China.
| | - Wenguang Yang
- School of Electromechanical and Automotive Engineering, Yantai University, Yantai 264005, China
| | - Hemin Zhang
- Department of Neurology, The People's Hospital of Liaoning Province, Shenyang 110016, China.
| | - Lianqing Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Robotics, Shenyang Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang 110016, China.
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8
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Effects of extracellular matrix viscoelasticity on cellular behaviour. Nature 2020; 584:535-546. [PMID: 32848221 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-020-2612-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 839] [Impact Index Per Article: 209.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2019] [Accepted: 06/17/2020] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Substantial research over the past two decades has established that extracellular matrix (ECM) elasticity, or stiffness, affects fundamental cellular processes, including spreading, growth, proliferation, migration, differentiation and organoid formation. Linearly elastic polyacrylamide hydrogels and polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) elastomers coated with ECM proteins are widely used to assess the role of stiffness, and results from such experiments are often assumed to reproduce the effect of the mechanical environment experienced by cells in vivo. However, tissues and ECMs are not linearly elastic materials-they exhibit far more complex mechanical behaviours, including viscoelasticity (a time-dependent response to loading or deformation), as well as mechanical plasticity and nonlinear elasticity. Here we review the complex mechanical behaviours of tissues and ECMs, discuss the effect of ECM viscoelasticity on cells, and describe the potential use of viscoelastic biomaterials in regenerative medicine. Recent work has revealed that matrix viscoelasticity regulates these same fundamental cell processes, and can promote behaviours that are not observed with elastic hydrogels in both two- and three-dimensional culture microenvironments. These findings have provided insights into cell-matrix interactions and how these interactions differentially modulate mechano-sensitive molecular pathways in cells. Moreover, these results suggest design guidelines for the next generation of biomaterials, with the goal of matching tissue and ECM mechanics for in vitro tissue models and applications in regenerative medicine.
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Esteki MH, Alemrajabi AA, Hall CM, Sheridan GK, Azadi M, Moeendarbary E. A new framework for characterization of poroelastic materials using indentation. Acta Biomater 2020; 102:138-148. [PMID: 31715334 PMCID: PMC6958526 DOI: 10.1016/j.actbio.2019.11.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2019] [Revised: 11/03/2019] [Accepted: 11/06/2019] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
To characterize a poroelastic material, typically an indenter is pressed onto the surface of the material with a ramp of a finite approach velocity followed by a hold where the indenter displacement is kept constant. This leads to deformation of the porous matrix, pressurization of the interstitial fluid and relaxation due to redistribution of fluid through the pores. In most studies the poroelastic properties, including elastic modulus, Poisson ratio and poroelastic diffusion coefficient, are extracted by assuming an instantaneous step indentation. However, exerting step like indentation is not experimentally possible and usually a ramp indentation with a finite approach velocity is applied. Moreover, the poroelastic relaxation time highly depends on the approach velocity in addition to the poroelastic diffusion coefficient and the contact area. Here, we extensively studied the effect of indentation velocity using finite element simulations which has enabled the formulation of a new framework based on a master curve that incorporates the finite rise time. To verify our novel framework, the poroelastic properties of two types of hydrogels were extracted experimentally using indentation tests at both macro and micro scales. Our new framework that is based on consideration of finite approach velocity is experimentally easy to implement and provides a more accurate estimation of poroelastic properties. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: Hydrogels, tissues and living cells are constituted of a sponge-like porous elastic matrix bathed in an interstitial fluid. It has been shown that these materials behave according to the theory of 'poroelasticity' when mechanically stimulated in a way similar to that experienced in organs within the body. In this theory, the rate at which the fluid-filled sponge can be deformed is limited by how fast interstitial fluid can redistribute within the sponge in response to deformation. Here, we simulated indentation experiments at different rates and formulated a new framework that inherently captures the effects of stimulation speed on the mechanical response of poroelastic materials. We validated our framework by conducting experiments at different length-scales on agarose and polyacrylamide hydrogels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Hadi Esteki
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Isfahan University of Technology, Isfahan 84156-83111, Iran; Department of Mechanical Engineering, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Ali Akbar Alemrajabi
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Isfahan University of Technology, Isfahan 84156-83111, Iran
| | - Chloe M Hall
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University College London, London, United Kingdom; School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Brighton, Brighton, United Kingdom
| | - Graham K Sheridan
- School of Life Sciences, Queen's Medical Centre, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom
| | - Mojtaba Azadi
- School of Engineering, College of Science and Engineering, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA 94132, United States; Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, United States
| | - Emad Moeendarbary
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University College London, London, United Kingdom; Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, United States.
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Effect of F-actin and Microtubules on Cellular Mechanical Behavior Studied Using Atomic Force Microscope and an Image Recognition-Based Cytoskeleton Quantification Approach. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21020392. [PMID: 31936268 PMCID: PMC7014474 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21020392] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2019] [Revised: 01/02/2020] [Accepted: 01/03/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Cytoskeleton morphology plays a key role in regulating cell mechanics. Particularly, cellular mechanical properties are directly regulated by the highly cross-linked and dynamic cytoskeletal structure of F-actin and microtubules presented in the cytoplasm. Although great efforts have been devoted to investigating the qualitative relation between the cellular cytoskeleton state and cell mechanical properties, comprehensive quantification results of how the states of F-actin and microtubules affect mechanical behavior are still lacking. In this study, the effect of both F-actin and microtubules morphology on cellular mechanical properties was quantified using atomic force microscope indentation experiments together with the proposed image recognition-based cytoskeleton quantification approach. Young’s modulus and diffusion coefficient of NIH/3T3 cells with different cytoskeleton states were quantified at different length scales. It was found that the living NIH/3T3 cells sense and adapt to the F-actin and microtubules states: both the cellular elasticity and poroelasticity are closely correlated to the depolymerization degree of F-actin and microtubules at all measured indentation depths. Moreover, the significance of the quantitative effects of F-actin and microtubules in affecting cellular mechanical behavior is depth-dependent.
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11
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Yadav S, Gulec S, Tadmor R, Lian I. A Novel Technique Enables Quantifying the Molecular Interaction of Solvents with Biological Tissues. Sci Rep 2019; 9:9319. [PMID: 31249358 PMCID: PMC6597696 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-45637-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2018] [Accepted: 06/05/2019] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
The pharmaceutical industry uses various solvents to increase drug penetrability to tissues. The solvent’s choice affects the efficacy of a drug. In this paper, we provide an unprecedented means of relating a solvent to a tissue quantitatively. We show that the solvents induce reorientation of the tissue surface molecules in a way that favors interaction and, therefore, penetrability of a solvent to a tissue. We provide, for the first time, a number for this tendency through a new physical property termed Interfacial Modulus (Gs). Gs, which so far was only predicted theoretically, is inversely proportional to such interactions. As model systems, we use HeLa and HaCaT tissue cultures with water and with an aqueous DMSO solution. The measurements are done using Centrifugal Adhesion Balance (CAB) when set to effective zero gravity. As expected, the addition of DMSO to water reduces Gs. This reduction in Gs is usually higher for HaCaT than for HeLa cells, which agrees with the common usage of DMSO in dermal medicine. We also varied the rigidities of the tissues. The tissue rigidity is not expected to relate to Gs, and indeed our results didn’t show a correlation between these two physical properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sakshi Yadav
- Dan F. Smith Department of Chemical Engineering, Lamar University, Beaumont, TX, 77710, USA
| | - Semih Gulec
- Dan F. Smith Department of Chemical Engineering, Lamar University, Beaumont, TX, 77710, USA
| | - Rafael Tadmor
- Dan F. Smith Department of Chemical Engineering, Lamar University, Beaumont, TX, 77710, USA. .,Department of Mechanical Engineering, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, 8410501, Israel.
| | - Ian Lian
- Department of Biology, Lamar University, Beaumont, TX, 77710, USA
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12
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Gulec S, Yadav S, Das R, Bhave V, Tadmor R. The Influence of Gravity on Contact Angle and Circumference of Sessile and Pendant Drops has a Crucial Historic Aspect. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2019; 35:5435-5441. [PMID: 30839217 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.8b03861] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Normally, pendant drops adapt contact angles that are closer to 90° than their sessile analogues. This is due to the drop's weight that pulls the pendant drop and straightens its contact angles. In this paper, we show a case in which the opposite happens: sessile drops that adapt contact angles that are closer to 90° than their pendant analogues. To achieve these peculiar states, one needs to increase the effective gravity on the drops and then relax it again to 1 g. Apparently, this and other phenomena depend not only on the direction of the gravitational force but also on the drop's history. We show that the drop's contact angle (and resultant area) is affected by two types of histories: short-term history and long-term history. For example, if we gradually increase the effective gravity on the drop, decrease it back to 1 g, and then repeat this cycle again and again, we see that the first cycle is drastically different, whereas other cycles approach a plateau in their behavior. In addition to drop's history, we explain these observations in terms of volume conservation, drop contact area, and pinning effect. This study may be generalized for other body forces such as electrical and magnetic or accelerating systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Semih Gulec
- Dan F. Smith Department of Chemical Engineering , Lamar University , Beaumont , Texas 77710 , United States
| | - Sakshi Yadav
- Dan F. Smith Department of Chemical Engineering , Lamar University , Beaumont , Texas 77710 , United States
| | - Ratul Das
- Dan F. Smith Department of Chemical Engineering , Lamar University , Beaumont , Texas 77710 , United States
| | - Vaibhav Bhave
- Dan F. Smith Department of Chemical Engineering , Lamar University , Beaumont , Texas 77710 , United States
| | - Rafael Tadmor
- Dan F. Smith Department of Chemical Engineering , Lamar University , Beaumont , Texas 77710 , United States
- Department of Mechanical Engineering , Ben Gurion University , Beer Sheva 8410501 , Israel
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13
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Finite element modeling of living cells for AFM indentation-based biomechanical characterization. Micron 2019; 116:108-115. [DOI: 10.1016/j.micron.2018.10.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2018] [Revised: 10/11/2018] [Accepted: 10/11/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
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14
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Abstract
Quantification of the actin cytoskeleton is of prime importance to unveil the cellular force sensing and transduction mechanism. Although fluorescence imaging provides a convenient tool for observing the morphology of the actin cytoskeleton, due to the lack of approaches to accurate actin cytoskeleton quantification, the dynamics of mechanotransduction is still poorly understood. Currently, the existing image-based actin cytoskeleton analysis tools are either incapable of quantifying both the orientation and the quantity of the actin cytoskeleton simultaneously or the quantified results are subject to analysis artifacts. In this study, we propose an image recognition-based actin cytoskeleton quantification (IRAQ) approach, which quantifies both the actin cytoskeleton orientation and quantity by using edge, line, and brightness detection algorithms. The actin cytoskeleton is quantified through three parameters: the partial actin-cytoskeletal deviation (PAD), the total actin-cytoskeletal deviation (TAD), and the average actin-cytoskeletal intensity (AAI). First, Canny and Sobel edge detectors are applied to skeletonize the actin cytoskeleton images, then PAD and TAD are quantified using the line directions detected by Hough transform, and AAI is calculated through the summational brightness over the detected cell area. To verify the quantification accuracy, the proposed IRAQ was applied to six artificially-generated actin cytoskeleton mesh work models. The average error for both the quantified PAD and TAD was less than 1.22 ∘ . Then, IRAQ was implemented to quantify the actin cytoskeleton of NIH/3T3 cells treated with an F-actin inhibitor (latrunculin B). The quantification results suggest that the local and total actin-cytoskeletal organization became more disordered with the increase of latrunculin B dosage, and the quantity of the actin cytoskeleton showed a monotonically decreasing relation with latrunculin B dosage.
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15
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Mollaeian K, Liu Y, Bi S, Wang Y, Ren J, Lu M. Nonlinear Cellular Mechanical Behavior Adaptation to Substrate Mechanics Identified by Atomic Force Microscope. Int J Mol Sci 2018; 19:ijms19113461. [PMID: 30400365 PMCID: PMC6274799 DOI: 10.3390/ijms19113461] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2018] [Revised: 10/13/2018] [Accepted: 10/31/2018] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Cell–substrate interaction plays an important role in intracellular behavior and function. Adherent cell mechanics is directly regulated by the substrate mechanics. However, previous studies on the effect of substrate mechanics only focused on the stiffness relation between the substrate and the cells, and how the substrate stiffness affects the time-scale and length-scale of the cell mechanics has not yet been studied. The absence of this information directly limits the in-depth understanding of the cellular mechanotransduction process. In this study, the effect of substrate mechanics on the nonlinear biomechanical behavior of living cells was investigated using indentation-based atomic force microscopy. The mechanical properties and their nonlinearities of the cells cultured on four substrates with distinct mechanical properties were thoroughly investigated. Furthermore, the actin filament (F-actin) cytoskeleton of the cells was fluorescently stained to investigate the adaptation of F-actin cytoskeleton structure to the substrate mechanics. It was found that living cells sense and adapt to substrate mechanics: the cellular Young’s modulus, shear modulus, apparent viscosity, and their nonlinearities (mechanical property vs. measurement depth relation) were adapted to the substrates’ nonlinear mechanics. Moreover, the positive correlation between the cellular poroelasticity and the indentation remained the same regardless of the substrate stiffness nonlinearity, but was indeed more pronounced for the cells seeded on the softer substrates. Comparison of the F-actin cytoskeleton morphology confirmed that the substrate affects the cell mechanics by regulating the intracellular structure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keyvan Mollaeian
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA.
| | - Yi Liu
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA.
| | - Siyu Bi
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA.
| | - Yifei Wang
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA.
| | - Juan Ren
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA.
| | - Meng Lu
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA.
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