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Wilkie IC. Basement Membranes, Brittlestar Tendons, and Their Mechanical Adaptability. BIOLOGY 2024; 13:375. [PMID: 38927255 PMCID: PMC11200632 DOI: 10.3390/biology13060375] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2024] [Revised: 05/20/2024] [Accepted: 05/21/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024]
Abstract
Basement membranes (BMs) are thin layers of extracellular matrix that separate epithelia, endothelia, muscle cells, and nerve cells from adjacent interstitial connective tissue. BMs are ubiquitous in almost all multicellular animals, and their composition is highly conserved across the Metazoa. There is increasing interest in the mechanical functioning of BMs, including the involvement of altered BM stiffness in development and pathology, particularly cancer metastasis, which can be facilitated by BM destabilization. Such BM weakening has been assumed to occur primarily through enzymatic degradation by matrix metalloproteinases. However, emerging evidence indicates that non-enzymatic mechanisms may also contribute. In brittlestars (Echinodermata, Ophiuroidea), the tendons linking the musculature to the endoskeleton consist of extensions of muscle cell BMs. During the process of brittlestar autotomy, in which arms are detached for the purpose of self-defense, muscles break away from the endoskeleton as a consequence of the rapid destabilization and rupture of their BM-derived tendons. This contribution provides a broad overview of current knowledge of the structural organization and biomechanics of non-echinoderm BMs, compares this with the equivalent information on brittlestar tendons, and discusses the possible relationship between the weakening phenomena exhibited by BMs and brittlestar tendons, and the potential translational value of the latter as a model system of BM destabilization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iain C Wilkie
- School of Biodiversity, One Health and Veterinary Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK
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2
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Mierke CT. Phenotypic Heterogeneity, Bidirectionality, Universal Cues, Plasticity, Mechanics, and the Tumor Microenvironment Drive Cancer Metastasis. Biomolecules 2024; 14:184. [PMID: 38397421 PMCID: PMC10887446 DOI: 10.3390/biom14020184] [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] [Received: 12/25/2023] [Revised: 01/19/2024] [Accepted: 02/01/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Tumor diseases become a huge problem when they embark on a path that advances to malignancy, such as the process of metastasis. Cancer metastasis has been thoroughly investigated from a biological perspective in the past, whereas it has still been less explored from a physical perspective. Until now, the intraluminal pathway of cancer metastasis has received the most attention, while the interaction of cancer cells with macrophages has received little attention. Apart from the biochemical characteristics, tumor treatments also rely on the tumor microenvironment, which is recognized to be immunosuppressive and, as has recently been found, mechanically stimulates cancer cells and thus alters their functions. The review article highlights the interaction of cancer cells with other cells in the vascular metastatic route and discusses the impact of this intercellular interplay on the mechanical characteristics and subsequently on the functionality of cancer cells. For instance, macrophages can guide cancer cells on their intravascular route of cancer metastasis, whereby they can help to circumvent the adverse conditions within blood or lymphatic vessels. Macrophages induce microchannel tunneling that can possibly avoid mechanical forces during extra- and intravasation and reduce the forces within the vascular lumen due to vascular flow. The review article highlights the vascular route of cancer metastasis and discusses the key players in this traditional route. Moreover, the effects of flows during the process of metastasis are presented, and the effects of the microenvironment, such as mechanical influences, are characterized. Finally, the increased knowledge of cancer metastasis opens up new perspectives for cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Tanja Mierke
- Faculty of Physics and Earth System Science, Peter Debye Institute of Soft Matter Physics, Biological Physics Division, Leipzig University, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
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3
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Sabri E, Brosseau C. Electromechanical interactions between cell membrane and nuclear envelope: Beyond the standard Schwan's model of biological cells. Bioelectrochemistry 2024; 155:108583. [PMID: 37883860 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioelechem.2023.108583] [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] [Received: 08/28/2023] [Revised: 10/02/2023] [Accepted: 10/02/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023]
Abstract
We investigate little-appreciated features of the hierarchical core-shell (CS) models of the electrical, mechanical, and electromechanical interactions between the cell membrane (CM) and nuclear envelope (NE). We first consider a simple model of an individual cell based on a coupled resistor-capacitor (Schwan model (SM)) network and show that the CM, when exposed to ac electric fields, acts as a low pass filter while the NE acts as a wide and asymmetric bandpass filter. We provide a simplified calculation for characteristic time associated with the capacitive charging of the NE and parameterize its range of behavior. We furthermore observe several new features dealing with mechanical analogs of the SM based on elementary spring-damper combinations. The chief merit of these models is that they can predict creep compliance responses of an individual cell under static stress and their effective retardation time constants. Next, we use an alternative and a more accurate CS physical model solved by finite element simulations for which geometrical cell reshaping under electromechanical stress (electrodeformation (ED)) is included in a continuum approach with spatial resolution. We show that under an electric field excitation, the elongated nucleus scales differently compared to the electrodeformed cell.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elias Sabri
- Univ Brest, CNRS, Lab-STICC, CS 93837, 6 avenue Le Gorgeu, 29238 Brest Cedex 3, France
| | - Christian Brosseau
- Univ Brest, CNRS, Lab-STICC, CS 93837, 6 avenue Le Gorgeu, 29238 Brest Cedex 3, France.
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4
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Mierke CT. Magnetic tweezers in cell mechanics. Methods Enzymol 2024; 694:321-354. [PMID: 38492957 DOI: 10.1016/bs.mie.2023.12.007] [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: 03/18/2024]
Abstract
The chapter provides an overview of the applications of magnetic tweezers in living cells. It discusses the advantages and disadvantages of magnetic tweezers technology with a focus on individual magnetic tweezers configurations, such as electromagnetic tweezers. Solutions to the disadvantages identified are also outlined. The specific role of magnetic tweezers in the field of mechanobiology, such as mechanosensitivity, mechano-allostery and mechanotransduction are also emphasized. The specific usage of magnetic tweezers in mechanically probing cells via specific cell surface receptors, such as mechanosensitive channels is discussed and why mechanical probing has revealed the opening and closing of the channels. Finally, the future direction of magnetic tweezers is presented.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Tanja Mierke
- Faculty of Physics and Earth System Sciences, Peter Debye Institute for Soft Matter Physics, Biological Physics Division, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany.
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5
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Mierke CT. Editorial: In celebration of women in cell adhesion and migration. Front Cell Dev Biol 2023; 11:1348958. [PMID: 38146493 PMCID: PMC10749420 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2023.1348958] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2023] [Accepted: 12/05/2023] [Indexed: 12/27/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Tanja Mierke
- Faculty of Physics and Earth Systems Science, Peter Debye Institute of Soft Matter Physics, Biological Physics Division, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
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6
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Bush J, Cabe JI, Conway D, Maruthamuthu V. E-cadherin adhesion dynamics as revealed by an accelerated force ramp are dependent upon the presence of α-catenin. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2023; 682:308-315. [PMID: 37837751 PMCID: PMC10615569 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2023.09.077] [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: 07/27/2023] [Revised: 09/15/2023] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 10/16/2023]
Abstract
Tissue remodeling and shape changes often rely on force-induced cell rearrangements occurring via cell-cell contact dynamics. Epithelial cell-cell contact shape changes are particularly dependent upon E-cadherin adhesion dynamics which are directly influenced by cell-generated and external forces. While both the mobility of E-cadherin adhesions and their adhesion strength have been reported before, it is not clear how these two aspects of E-cadherin adhesion dynamics are related. Here, using magnetic pulling cytometry, we applied an accelerated force ramp on the E-cadherin adhesion between an E-cadherin-coated magnetic microbead and an epithelial cell to ascertain this relationship. Our approach enables the determination of the adhesion strength and force-dependent mobility of individual adhesions, which revealed a direct correlation between these key characteristics. Since α-catenin has previously been reported to play a role in both E-cadherin mobility and adhesion strength when studied independently, we also probed epithelial cells in which α-catenin has been knocked out. We found that, in the absence of α-catenin, E-cadherin adhesions not only had lower adhesion strength, as expected, but were also more mobile. We observed that α-catenin was required for the recovery of strained cell-cell contacts and propose that the adhesion strength and force-dependent mobility of E-cadherin adhesions act in tandem to regulate cell-cell contact homeostasis. Our approach introduces a method which relates the force-dependent adhesion mobility to adhesion strength and highlights the morphological role played by α-catenin in E-cadherin adhesion dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua Bush
- Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA, 23529, USA; Bioengineering, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, 22030, USA
| | - Jolene I Cabe
- Biomedical Engineering, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, 23298, USA
| | - Daniel Conway
- Biomedical Engineering, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
| | - Venkat Maruthamuthu
- Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA, 23529, USA.
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7
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Buxboim A, Kronenberg-Tenga R, Salajkova S, Avidan N, Shahak H, Thurston A, Medalia O. Scaffold, mechanics and functions of nuclear lamins. FEBS Lett 2023; 597:2791-2805. [PMID: 37813648 DOI: 10.1002/1873-3468.14750] [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: 06/16/2023] [Revised: 09/05/2023] [Accepted: 09/26/2023] [Indexed: 10/11/2023]
Abstract
Nuclear lamins are type-V intermediate filaments that are involved in many nuclear processes. In mammals, A- and B-type lamins assemble into separate physical meshwork underneath the inner nuclear membrane, the nuclear lamina, with some residual fraction localized within the nucleoplasm. Lamins are the major part of the nucleoskeleton, providing mechanical strength and flexibility to protect the genome and allow nuclear deformability, while also contributing to gene regulation via interactions with chromatin. While lamins are the evolutionary ancestors of all intermediate filament family proteins, their ultimate filamentous assembly is markedly different from their cytoplasmic counterparts. Interestingly, hundreds of genetic mutations in the lamina proteins have been causally linked with a broad range of human pathologies, termed laminopathies. These include muscular, neurological and metabolic disorders, as well as premature aging diseases. Recent technological advances have contributed to resolving the filamentous structure of lamins and the corresponding lamina organization. In this review, we revisit the multiscale lamin organization and discuss its implications on nuclear mechanics and chromatin organization within lamina-associated domains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amnon Buxboim
- The Rachel and Selim Benin School of Computer Science and Engineering and The Alexander Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel
| | | | - Sarka Salajkova
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Nili Avidan
- The Rachel and Selim Benin School of Computer Science and Engineering and The Alexander Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Hen Shahak
- The Rachel and Selim Benin School of Computer Science and Engineering and The Alexander Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Alice Thurston
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Ohad Medalia
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Zurich, Switzerland
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8
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Bush J, Cabe JI, Conway D, Maruthamuthu V. α-Catenin Dependent E-cadherin Adhesion Dynamics as Revealed by an Accelerated Force Ramp. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.07.28.550975. [PMID: 37645773 PMCID: PMC10461907 DOI: 10.1101/2023.07.28.550975] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/31/2023]
Abstract
Tissue remodeling and shape changes often rely on force-induced cell rearrangements occurring via cell-cell contact dynamics. Epithelial cell-cell contact shape changes are particularly dependent upon E-cadherin adhesion dynamics which are directly influenced by cell-generated and external forces. While both the mobility of E-cadherin adhesions and their adhesion strength have been reported before, it is not clear how these two aspects of E-cadherin adhesion dynamics are related. Here, using magnetic pulling cytometry, we applied an accelerated force ramp on the E-cadherin adhesion between an E-cadherin-coated magnetic microbead and an epithelial cell to ascertain this relationship. Our approach enables the determination of the adhesion strength and force-dependent mobility of individual adhesions, which revealed a direct correlation between these key characteristics. Since α-catenin has previously been reported to play a role in both E-cadherin mobility and adhesion strength when studied independently, we also probed epithelial cells in which α-catenin has been knocked out. We found that, in the absence of α-catenin, E-cadherin adhesions not only had lower adhesion strength, as expected, but were also more mobile. We observed that α-catenin was required for the recovery of strained cell-cell contacts and propose that the adhesion strength and force-dependent mobility of E-cadherin adhesions act in tandem to regulate cell-cell contact homeostasis. Our approach introduces a method which relates the force-dependent adhesion mobility to adhesion strength and highlights the morphological role played by α-catenin in E-cadherin adhesion dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua Bush
- Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA 23529 USA
- Bioengineering, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA 22030
| | - Jolene I. Cabe
- Biomedical Engineering, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23298 USA
| | - Daniel Conway
- Biomedical Engineering, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210 USA
| | - Venkat Maruthamuthu
- Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA 23529 USA
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9
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Zhu Y, Zhang M, Sun Q, Wang X, Li X, Li Q. Advanced Mechanical Testing Technologies at the Cellular Level: The Mechanisms and Application in Tissue Engineering. Polymers (Basel) 2023; 15:3255. [PMID: 37571149 PMCID: PMC10422338 DOI: 10.3390/polym15153255] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2023] [Revised: 07/24/2023] [Accepted: 07/28/2023] [Indexed: 08/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Mechanics, as a key physical factor which affects cell function and tissue regeneration, is attracting the attention of researchers in the fields of biomaterials, biomechanics, and tissue engineering. The macroscopic mechanical properties of tissue engineering scaffolds have been studied and optimized based on different applications. However, the mechanical properties of the overall scaffold materials are not enough to reveal the mechanical mechanism of the cell-matrix interaction. Hence, the mechanical detection of cell mechanics and cellular-scale microenvironments has become crucial for unraveling the mechanisms which underly cell activities and which are affected by physical factors. This review mainly focuses on the advanced technologies and applications of cell-scale mechanical detection. It summarizes the techniques used in micromechanical performance analysis, including atomic force microscope (AFM), optical tweezer (OT), magnetic tweezer (MT), and traction force microscope (TFM), and analyzes their testing mechanisms. In addition, the application of mechanical testing techniques to cell mechanics and tissue engineering scaffolds, such as hydrogels and porous scaffolds, is summarized and discussed. Finally, it highlights the challenges and prospects of this field. This review is believed to provide valuable insights into micromechanics in tissue engineering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yingxuan Zhu
- School of Mechanics and Safety Engineering, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
- National Center for International Joint Research of Micro-nano Moulding Technology, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Mengqi Zhang
- School of Mechanics and Safety Engineering, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
- National Center for International Joint Research of Micro-nano Moulding Technology, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Qingqing Sun
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Xiaofeng Wang
- School of Mechanics and Safety Engineering, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
- National Center for International Joint Research of Micro-nano Moulding Technology, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Xiaomeng Li
- School of Mechanics and Safety Engineering, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
- National Center for International Joint Research of Micro-nano Moulding Technology, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Qian Li
- School of Mechanics and Safety Engineering, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
- National Center for International Joint Research of Micro-nano Moulding Technology, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
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10
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Hayn A, Fischer T, Mierke CT. The role of ADAM8 in the mechanophenotype of MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells in 3D extracellular matrices. Front Cell Dev Biol 2023; 11:1148162. [PMID: 37287457 PMCID: PMC10242107 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2023.1148162] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2023] [Accepted: 05/11/2023] [Indexed: 06/09/2023] Open
Abstract
The majority of investigations of cancer cells have been performed in an oversimplified 2D in vitro environment. In the last decade there is a trend toward more sophisticated 3D in vitro cell culture model systems that can bridge the existing gap between 2D in vitro and in vivo experiments in the field of biophysical and cell biological cancer cell research. Here, we hypothesize that the bidirectional interplay between breast cancer cells and their tumor microenvironment is critical for the outcome of the disease. Thereby, the tissue remodeling processes evoked by cancer cells are important for cancer cell-driven mechanical probing of their matrix environment and on cancer cell adhesion and motility. When remodeling processes have been explored, the emphasis was placed on matrix metalloproteinases and rather not on a disintegrin and metalloproteases (ADAMs). However, the role of ADAM8 in cell mechanics regulating cellular motility in 3D collagen matrices is still unclear. Thus, in this study, we focus on the function of ADAM8 in matrix remodeling and migration of 3D extracellular matrix scaffolds. Therefore, human MDA-MB-231 breast carcinoma cells with ADAM8 knocked down, referred to as ADAM8-KD cells, as well as MDA-MB-231 scrambled control cells, referred to as ADAM8-Ctrl cells, have been used to examine their ability to interact with and migrate in dense extracellular 3D matrices. The fiber displacements, as the capacity of cells to deform the environmental 3D matrix scaffold, has been observed. ADAM8-KD cells displace collagen fibers more strongly than ADAM8-Ctrl cells. Moreover, ADAM8-KD cells migrated more numerous in 3D collagen matrices compared to ADAM8-Ctrl cells. The impairment of ADAM8 using the ADAM8 inhibitor BK-1361 led to significantly increased fiber displacements of ADAM8-Ctrl cells to the levels of ADAM8-KD cells. In contrast, the inhibitor had no effect on ADAM8-KD cells in terms of fiber displacements as well as on the quantitative characteristics of cell invasion of ADAM8-Ctrl cells, albeit the cells that were found in the matrix invaded considerably deeper. When matrix remodeling by cells is impaired through GM6001, a broad-band metalloproteinase inhibitor, the fiber displacements of both cell types increased. In fact, ADAM8 is known to degrade fibronectin in a direct and/or indirect manner. The supplementation of fibronectin before polymerization of the 3D collagen matrices caused an enhancement in fiber displacements as well as in cell invasion into fibronectin-collagen matrices of ADAM8-Ctrl cells, whereas the fiber displacements of ADAM8-KD cells did not change. However, fibrinogen and laminin supplementation induced an increase in fiber displacements of both cell types. Thus, the impact of fibronectin on selective increase in fiber displacement of ADAM8-Ctrl cells appears to be ADAM8-dependent. As a consequence, the presence of ADAM8 may provide an explanation for the longstanding controversial results of fibronectin enrichment on malignant progression of cancers such as breast cancer. Finally, ADAM8 is apparently essential for providing cell-driven fiber displacements of the extracellular matrix microenvironment, which fosters 3D motility in a fibronectin-rich environment. Contribution to the field. Currently, the role of ADAM8 has been explored in 2D or at maximum 2.5D in vitro cell culture motility assays. However, the mechanical characteristics of these two cell types have not been examined. In this study, the function of ADAM8 in breast cancer is refined by providing in vitro cell investigations in 3D collagen fiber matrices of various conditions. ADAM8 has been shown to be involved in the reduced generation of fiber displacements and in influencing breast cancer cell migration. However, especially in the presence of fibronectin in 3Dcollagen fiber matrices, the fiber displacements of ADAM8-Ctrl cells are increased.
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11
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Edwin PERG, Kumar S, Roy S, Roy B, Bajpai SK. Anisotropic 3D confinement of MCF-7 cells induces directed cell-migration and viscoelastic anisotropy of cell-membrane. Phys Biol 2023; 20. [DOI: 10.1088/1478-3975/ac9bc1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2022] [Accepted: 10/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Tumor-associated collagen signature-3 (TACS-3) is a prognostic indicator for breast cancer survival. It is characterized by highly organized, parallel bundles of collagen fibers oriented perpendicular to the tumor boundary, serving as directional, confining channels for cancer cell invasion. Here we design a TACS-3-mimetic anisotropic, confined collagen I matrix and examine the relation between anisotropy of matrix, directed cellular migration, and anisotropy of cell membrane-the first direct contact between TACS-3 and cell-using Michigan Cancer Foundation-7 (MCF-7) cells as cancer-model. Using unidirectional freezing, we generated ∼50 μm-wide channels filled with collagen I. Optical tweezer (OT) microrheology shows that anisotropic confinement increases collagen viscoelasticity by two orders of magnitude, and the elastic modulus is significantly greater along the direction of anisotropic confinement compared to that along the orthogonal direction, thus establishing matrix anisotropy. Furthermore, MCF-7 cells embedded in anisotropic collagen I, exhibit directionality in cellular morphology and migration. Finally, using customized OT to trap polystyrene probes bound to cell-membrane (and not to ECM) of either free cells or cells under anisotropic confinement, we quantified the effect of matrix anisotropy on membrane viscoelasticity, both in-plane and out-of-plane, vis-à-vis the membrane. Both bulk and viscous modulus of cell-membrane of MCF-7 cells exhibit significant anisotropy under anisotropic confinement. Moreover, the cell membrane of MCF-7 cells under anisotropic confinement is significantly softer (both in-plane and out-of-plane moduli) despite their local environment being five times stiffer than free cells. In order to test if the coupling between anisotropy of extracellular matrix and anisotropy of cell-membrane is regulated by cell-cytoskeleton, actin cytoskeleton was depolymerized for both free and confined cells. Results show that cell membrane viscoelasticity of confined MCF-7 cells is unaffected by actin de-polymerization, in contrast to free cells. Together, these findings suggest that anisotropy of ECM induces directed migration and correlates with anisotropy of cell-membrane viscoelasticity of the MCF-7 cells in an actin-independent manner.
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Acousto-holographic reconstruction of whole-cell stiffness maps. Nat Commun 2022; 13:7351. [PMID: 36446776 PMCID: PMC9709086 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-35075-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2021] [Accepted: 11/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Accurate assessment of cell stiffness distribution is essential due to the critical role of cell mechanobiology in regulation of vital cellular processes like proliferation, adhesion, migration, and motility. Stiffness provides critical information in understanding onset and progress of various diseases, including metastasis and differentiation of cancer. Atomic force microscopy and optical trapping set the gold standard in stiffness measurements. However, their widespread use has been hampered with long processing times, unreliable contact point determination, physical damage to cells, and unsuitability for multiple cell analysis. Here, we demonstrate a simple, fast, label-free, and high-resolution technique using acoustic stimulation and holographic imaging to reconstruct stiffness maps of single cells. We used this acousto-holographic method to determine stiffness maps of HCT116 and CTC-mimicking HCT116 cells and differentiate between them. Our system would enable widespread use of whole-cell stiffness measurements in clinical and research settings for cancer studies, disease modeling, drug testing, and diagnostics.
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Phillips JD, Hwang ES, Morgan DJ, Creveling CJ, Coats B. Structure and mechanics of the vitreoretinal interface. J Mech Behav Biomed Mater 2022; 134:105399. [PMID: 35963021 PMCID: PMC9552593 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmbbm.2022.105399] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2022] [Revised: 07/17/2022] [Accepted: 07/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Vitreoretinal mechanics plays an important role in retinal trauma and many sight-threatening diseases. In age-related pathologies, such as posterior vitreous detachment and vitreomacular traction, lingering vitreoretinal adhesions can lead to macular holes, epiretinal membranes, retinal tears and detachment. In age-related macular degeneration, vitreoretinal traction has been implicated in the acceleration of the disease due to the stimulation of vascular growth factors. Despite this strong mechanobiological influence on trauma and disease in the eye, fundamental understanding of the mechanics at the vitreoretinal interface is limited. Clarification of adhesion mechanisms and the role of vitreoretinal mechanics in healthy eyes and disease is necessary to develop innovative treatments for these pathologies. In this review, we evaluate the existing literature on the structure and function of the vitreoretinal interface to gain insight into age- and region-dependent mechanisms of vitreoretinal adhesion. We explore the role of vitreoretinal adhesion in ocular pathologies to identify knowledge gaps and future research areas. Finally, we recommend future mechanics-based studies to address the critical needs in the field, increase fundamental understanding of vitreoretinal mechanisms and disease, and inform disease treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph D Phillips
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, United States
| | - Eileen S Hwang
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, United States
| | - Denise J Morgan
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, United States
| | | | - Brittany Coats
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, United States.
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Mierke CT, Hayn A, Fischer T. PINCH1 Promotes Fibroblast Migration in Extracellular Matrices and Influences Their Mechanophenotype. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:869563. [PMID: 35652097 PMCID: PMC9149598 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.869563] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2022] [Accepted: 04/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Cell migration performs a critical function in numerous physiological processes, including tissue homeostasis or wound healing after tissue injury, as well as pathological processes that include malignant progression of cancer. The efficiency of cell migration and invasion appears to be based on the mechano-phenotype of the cytoskeleton. The properties of the cytoskeleton depend on internal cytoskeletal and external environmental factors. A reason for this are connections between the cell and its local matrix microenvironment, which are established by cell-matrix adhesion receptors. Upon activation, focal adhesion proteins such as PINCH1 are recruited to sites where focal adhesions form. PINCH1 specifically couples through interactions with ILK, which binds to cell matrix receptors and the actomyosin cytoskeleton. However, the role of PINCH1 in cell mechanics regulating cellular motility in 3D collagen matrices is still unclear. PINCH1 is thought to facilitate 3D motility by regulating cellular mechanical properties, such as stiffness. In this study, PINCH1 wild-type and knock-out cells were examined for their ability to migrate in dense extracellular 3D matrices. Indeed, PINCH1 wild-type cells migrated more numerously and deeper in 3D matrices, compared to knock-out cells. Moreover, cellular deformability was determined, e.g., elastic modulus (stiffness). PINCH1 knock-out cells are more deformable (compliable) than PINCH1 wild-type cells. Migration of both PINCH1−/− cells and PINCH1fl/fl cells was decreased by Latrunculin A inhibition of actin polymerization, suggesting that actin cytoskeletal differences are not responsible for the discrepancy in invasiveness of the two cell types. However, the mechanical phenotype of PINCH1−/− cells may be reflected by Latrunculin A treatment of PINCH1fl/fl cells, as they exhibit resembling deformability to untreated PINCH1−/− cells. Moreover, an apparent mismatch exists between the elongation of the long axis and the contraction of the short axis between PINCH1fl/fl cells and PINCH1−/− cells following Latrunculin A treatment. There is evidence of this indicating a shift in the proxy values for Poisson’s ratio in PINCH1−/− cells compared with PINCH1fl/fl cells. This is probably attributable to modifications in cytoskeletal architecture. The non-muscle myosin II inhibitor Blebbistatin also reduced the cell invasiveness in 3D extracellular matrices but instead caused a stiffening of the cells. Finally, PINCH1 is apparently essential for providing cellular mechanical stiffness through the actin cytoskeleton, which regulates 3D motility.
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15
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Razbin M, Benetatos P. Grafted Semiflexible Nunchucks with a Magnetic Bead Attached to the Free End. Polymers (Basel) 2022; 14:polym14040695. [PMID: 35215607 PMCID: PMC8875184 DOI: 10.3390/polym14040695] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2022] [Revised: 02/02/2022] [Accepted: 02/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Semiflexible nunchucks are block copolymers, which consist of two long blocks of high bending stiffness jointed together by a short block of low bending stiffness. Semiflexible nunchucks that consist of two DNA nanorods jointed by a short segment of double-stranded (ds) DNA and confined in two dimensions have been used in recent experiments by Fygenson and coworkers as a tool to magnify the bending fluctuations of the linking dsDNA, which in turn are used to deduce the persistence length of dsDNA. In a recent theoretical analysis, we showed that in a semiflexible nunchuck with one end grafted, the fluctuations of the position of the free end that is transverse to the grafting direction exhibit a pronounced bimodality, provided that the bending stiffness of the hinge is not very large. In this article, we theoretically analyse a grafted semiflexible nunchuck with a magnetic bead attached to its free end. We show that a transverse magnetic field induces an asymmetry in the bimodal distribution of the transverse fluctuations of the free end. This asymmetry is very sensitive to interactions with a magnetic field and, in principle, could be used in magnetometry (the measurement of a magnetic field or the magnetic moment of the bead). We also investigate how the response of the bimodal distribution of the transverse fluctuations of the free end to a magnetic field depends on the bending stiffness of the nunchuck hinge. In addition, we analyse the closely related systems of a single filament and two filaments jointed at a kink point with one end grafted and the other end attached to a magnetic bead.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammadhosein Razbin
- Department of Energy Engineering and Physics, Amirkabir University of Technology, Tehran 14588, Iran
- Correspondence: (M.R.); (P.B.)
| | - Panayotis Benetatos
- Department of Physics, Kyungpook National University, 80 Daehakro, Bukgu, Daegu 41566, Korea
- Correspondence: (M.R.); (P.B.)
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16
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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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17
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Beshay PE, Cortes-Medina MG, Menyhert MM, Song JW. The biophysics of cancer: emerging insights from micro- and nanoscale tools. ADVANCED NANOBIOMED RESEARCH 2022; 2:2100056. [PMID: 35156093 PMCID: PMC8827905 DOI: 10.1002/anbr.202100056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Cancer is a complex and dynamic disease that is aberrant both biologically and physically. There is growing appreciation that physical abnormalities with both cancer cells and their microenvironment that span multiple length scales are important drivers for cancer growth and metastasis. The scope of this review is to highlight the key advancements in micro- and nano-scale tools for delineating the cause and consequences of the aberrant physical properties of tumors. We focus our review on three important physical aspects of cancer: 1) solid mechanical properties, 2) fluid mechanical properties, and 3) mechanical alterations to cancer cells. Beyond posing physical barriers to the delivery of cancer therapeutics, these properties are also known to influence numerous biological processes, including cancer cell invasion and migration leading to metastasis, and response and resistance to therapy. We comment on how micro- and nanoscale tools have transformed our fundamental understanding of the physical dynamics of cancer progression and their potential for bridging towards future applications at the interface of oncology and physical sciences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter E. Beshay
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210
| | | | - Miles M. Menyhert
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210
| | - Jonathan W. Song
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210,The Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210
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18
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Sharma V, Freedman KJ. Pressure-Biased Nanopores for Excluded Volume Metrology, Lipid Biomechanics, and Cell-Adhesion Rupturing. ACS NANO 2021; 15:17947-17958. [PMID: 34739757 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.1c06393] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Nanopore sensing has been widely used in applications ranging from DNA sequencing to disease diagnosis. To improve these capabilities, pressure-biased nanopores have been explored in the past to-primarily-increase the residence time of the analyte inside the pore. Here, we studied the effect of pressure on the ability to accurately quantify the excluded volume which depends on the current drop magnitude produced by a single entity. Using the calibration standard, the inverse current drop (1/ΔI) decreases linearly with increasing pressure, while the dwell drop reduces exponentially. We therefore had to derive a pressure-corrected excluded volume equation to accurately assess the volume of translocating species under applied pressure. Moreover, a method to probe deformation in nanoliposomes and a single cell is developed as a result. We show that the soft nanoliposomes and even cells deform significantly under applied pressure which can be probed in terms of the shape factor which was introduced in the excluded volume equation. The proposed work has practical applications in mechanobiology, namely, assessing the stiffness and mechanical rigidity of liposomal drug carriers. Pressure-biased pores also enabled multiple observations of cell-cell aggregates as well as their subsequent rupture, potentially allowing for the study of microbial symbioses or pathogen recognition by the human immune system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vinay Sharma
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California Riverside, 900 University Avenue, Riverside, California 92521, United States
- Department of Materials Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Jammu, Jammu 181221, Jammu and Kashmir, India
| | - Kevin J Freedman
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California Riverside, 900 University Avenue, Riverside, California 92521, United States
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19
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Nguyen N, Thurgood P, Sekar NC, Chen S, Pirogova E, Peter K, Baratchi S, Khoshmanesh K. Microfluidic models of the human circulatory system: versatile platforms for exploring mechanobiology and disease modeling. Biophys Rev 2021; 13:769-786. [PMID: 34777617 DOI: 10.1007/s12551-021-00815-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2021] [Accepted: 06/22/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The human circulatory system is a marvelous fluidic system, which is very sensitive to biophysical and biochemical cues. The current animal and cell culture models do not recapitulate the functional properties of the human circulatory system, limiting our ability to fully understand the complex biological processes underlying the dysfunction of this multifaceted system. In this review, we discuss the unique ability of microfluidic systems to recapitulate the biophysical, biochemical, and functional properties of the human circulatory system. We also describe the remarkable capacity of microfluidic technologies for exploring the complex mechanobiology of the cardiovascular system, mechanistic studying of cardiovascular diseases, and screening cardiovascular drugs with the additional benefit of reducing the need for animal models. We also discuss opportunities for further advancement in this exciting field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ngan Nguyen
- School of Engineering, RMIT University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Peter Thurgood
- School of Engineering, RMIT University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Nadia Chandra Sekar
- School of Health and Biomedical Sciences, RMIT University, Bundoora, Australia
| | - Sheng Chen
- School of Engineering, RMIT University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Elena Pirogova
- School of Engineering, RMIT University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Karlheinz Peter
- Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute, Melbourne, Australia.,Department of Cardiometabolic Health, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia
| | - Sara Baratchi
- School of Health and Biomedical Sciences, RMIT University, Bundoora, Australia
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20
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Asgeirsson DO, Christiansen MG, Valentin T, Somm L, Mirkhani N, Nami AH, Hosseini V, Schuerle S. 3D magnetically controlled spatiotemporal probing and actuation of collagen networks from a single cell perspective. LAB ON A CHIP 2021; 21:3850-3862. [PMID: 34505607 PMCID: PMC8507888 DOI: 10.1039/d1lc00657f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2021] [Accepted: 08/28/2021] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
Cells continuously sense and react to mechanical cues from their surrounding matrix, which consists of a fibrous network of biopolymers that influences their fate and behavior. Several powerful methods employing magnetic control have been developed to assess the micromechanical properties within extracellular matrix (ECM) models hosting cells. However, many of these are limited to in-plane sensing and actuation, which does not allow the matrix to be probed within its full 3D context. Moreover, little attention has been given to factors specific to the model ECM systems that can profoundly influence the cells contained there. Here we present methods to spatiotemporally probe and manipulate extracellular matrix networks at the scale relevant to cells using magnetic microprobes (μRods). Our techniques leverage 3D magnetic field generation, physical modeling, and image analysis to examine and apply mechanical stimuli to fibrous collagen matrices. We determined shear moduli ranging between hundreds of Pa to tens of kPa and modeled the effects of proximity to rigid surfaces and local fiber densification. We analyzed the spatial extent and dynamics of matrix deformation produced in response to magnetic torques on the order of 10 pNm, deflecting fibers over an area spanning tens of micrometers. Finally, we demonstrate 3D actuation and pose extraction of fluorescently labelled μRods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daphne O Asgeirsson
- Responsive Biomedical Systems Laboratory, Department of Health Science and Technology, ETH Zurich, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland.
| | - Michael G Christiansen
- Responsive Biomedical Systems Laboratory, Department of Health Science and Technology, ETH Zurich, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland.
| | - Thomas Valentin
- Responsive Biomedical Systems Laboratory, Department of Health Science and Technology, ETH Zurich, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland.
| | - Luca Somm
- Responsive Biomedical Systems Laboratory, Department of Health Science and Technology, ETH Zurich, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland.
| | - Nima Mirkhani
- Responsive Biomedical Systems Laboratory, Department of Health Science and Technology, ETH Zurich, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland.
| | - Amin Hosseini Nami
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Science, University of Tehran, Tehran 1417614411, Iran
| | - Vahid Hosseini
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
- Terasaki Institute for Biomedical Innovation, Los Angeles, CA 90024, USA
| | - Simone Schuerle
- Responsive Biomedical Systems Laboratory, Department of Health Science and Technology, ETH Zurich, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland.
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21
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Li P, Liu X, Kojima M, Huang Q, Arai T. Automated Cell Mechanical Characterization by On-Chip Sequential Squeezing: From Static to Dynamic. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2021; 37:8083-8094. [PMID: 34171189 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.1c00441] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The mechanical properties of cells are harmless biomarkers for cell identification and disease diagnosis. Although many systems have been developed to evaluate the static mechanical properties of cells for biomedical research, their robustness, effectiveness, and cost do not meet clinical requirements or the experiments with a large number of cell samples. In this paper, we propose an approach for on-chip cell mechanical characterization by analyzing the dynamic behavior of cells as they pass through multiple constrictions. The proposed serpentine microfluidic channel consisted of 20 constrictions connected in series and divided into five rows for tracking cell dynamic behavior. Assisted by computer vision, the squeezing time of each cell through five rows of constrictions was automatically collected and filtered to evaluate the cell's mechanical deformability. We observed a decreasing passage time and increasing dynamic deformability of the cells as they passed through the multiple constrictions. The deformability increase rate of the HeLa cells was eight times greater than that of MEF cells. Moreover, the weak correlation between the deformability increase rate and the cell size indicated that cell recognition based on measuring the deformability increase rate could hardly be affected by the cell size variation. These findings showed that the deformability increase rate of the cell under on-chip sequential squeezing as a new index has great potential in cancer cell recognition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pengyun Li
- Key Laboratory of Biomimetic Robots and Systems, Ministry of Education, State Key Laboratory of Intelligent Control and Decision of Complex System, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Intelligent Robots and Systems, and School of Mechatronical Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081, China
| | - Xiaoming Liu
- Key Laboratory of Biomimetic Robots and Systems, Ministry of Education, State Key Laboratory of Intelligent Control and Decision of Complex System, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Intelligent Robots and Systems, and School of Mechatronical Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081, China
| | - Masaru Kojima
- Department of Materials Engineering Science, Osaka University, Osaka 560-8531, Japan
| | - Qiang Huang
- Key Laboratory of Biomimetic Robots and Systems, Ministry of Education, State Key Laboratory of Intelligent Control and Decision of Complex System, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Intelligent Robots and Systems, and School of Mechatronical Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081, China
| | - Tatsuo Arai
- Key Laboratory of Biomimetic Robots and Systems, Ministry of Education, State Key Laboratory of Intelligent Control and Decision of Complex System, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Intelligent Robots and Systems, and School of Mechatronical Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081, China
- Center for Neuroscience and Biomedical Engineering, The University of Electro-Communications, Tokyo 182-8585, Japan
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22
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Aermes C, Hayn A, Fischer T, Mierke CT. Cell mechanical properties of human breast carcinoma cells depend on temperature. Sci Rep 2021; 11:10771. [PMID: 34031462 PMCID: PMC8144563 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-90173-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2021] [Accepted: 04/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The knowledge of cell mechanics is required to understand cellular processes and functions, such as the movement of cells, and the development of tissue engineering in cancer therapy. Cell mechanical properties depend on a variety of factors, such as cellular environments, and may also rely on external factors, such as the ambient temperature. The impact of temperature on cell mechanics is not clearly understood. To explore the effect of temperature on cell mechanics, we employed magnetic tweezers to apply a force of 1 nN to 4.5 µm superparamagnetic beads. The beads were coated with fibronectin and coupled to human epithelial breast cancer cells, in particular MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells. Cells were measured in a temperature range between 25 and 45 °C. The creep response of both cell types followed a weak power law. At all temperatures, the MDA-MB-231 cells were pronouncedly softer compared to the MCF-7 cells, whereas their fluidity was increased. However, with increasing temperature, the cells became significantly softer and more fluid. Since mechanical properties are manifested in the cell's cytoskeletal structure and the paramagnetic beads are coupled through cell surface receptors linked to cytoskeletal structures, such as actin and myosin filaments as well as microtubules, the cells were probed with pharmacological drugs impacting the actin filament polymerization, such as Latrunculin A, the myosin filaments, such as Blebbistatin, and the microtubules, such as Demecolcine, during the magnetic tweezer measurements in the specific temperature range. Irrespective of pharmacological interventions, the creep response of cells followed a weak power law at all temperatures. Inhibition of the actin polymerization resulted in increased softness in both cell types and decreased fluidity exclusively in MDA-MB-231 cells. Blebbistatin had an effect on the compliance of MDA-MB-231 cells at lower temperatures, which was minor on the compliance MCF-7 cells. Microtubule inhibition affected the fluidity of MCF-7 cells but did not have a significant effect on the compliance of MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells. In summary, with increasing temperature, the cells became significant softer with specific differences between the investigated drugs and cell lines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian Aermes
- Biological Physics Division, Faculty of Physics and Earth Science, Peter Debye Institute of Soft Matter Physics, University of Leipzig, Linnéstr. 5, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Alexander Hayn
- Biological Physics Division, Faculty of Physics and Earth Science, Peter Debye Institute of Soft Matter Physics, University of Leipzig, Linnéstr. 5, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Tony Fischer
- Biological Physics Division, Faculty of Physics and Earth Science, Peter Debye Institute of Soft Matter Physics, University of Leipzig, Linnéstr. 5, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Claudia Tanja Mierke
- Biological Physics Division, Faculty of Physics and Earth Science, Peter Debye Institute of Soft Matter Physics, University of Leipzig, Linnéstr. 5, 04103, Leipzig, Germany.
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23
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Khalilgharibi N, Mao Y. To form and function: on the role of basement membrane mechanics in tissue development, homeostasis and disease. Open Biol 2021; 11:200360. [PMID: 33593159 PMCID: PMC8061686 DOI: 10.1098/rsob.200360] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The basement membrane (BM) is a special type of extracellular matrix that lines the basal side of epithelial and endothelial tissues. Functionally, the BM is important for providing physical and biochemical cues to the overlying cells, sculpting the tissue into its correct size and shape. In this review, we focus on recent studies that have unveiled the complex mechanical properties of the BM. We discuss how these properties can change during development, homeostasis and disease via different molecular mechanisms, and the subsequent impact on tissue form and function in a variety of organisms. We also explore how better characterization of BM mechanics can contribute to disease diagnosis and treatment, as well as development of better in silico and in vitro models that not only impact the fields of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine, but can also reduce the use of animals in research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nargess Khalilgharibi
- MRC Laboratory for Molecular Cell Biology, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK.,Institute for the Physics of Living Systems, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Yanlan Mao
- MRC Laboratory for Molecular Cell Biology, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK.,Institute for the Physics of Living Systems, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK
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