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In vitro cell stretching devices and their applications: From cardiomyogenic differentiation to tissue engineering. MEDICINE IN NOVEL TECHNOLOGY AND DEVICES 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.medntd.2023.100220] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/06/2023] Open
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2
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Hart KC, Sim JY, Hopcroft MA, Cohen DJ, Tan J, Nelson WJ, Pruitt BL. An Easy-to-Fabricate Cell Stretcher Reveals Density-Dependent Mechanical Regulation of Collective Cell Movements in Epithelia. Cell Mol Bioeng 2021; 14:569-581. [PMID: 34900011 PMCID: PMC8630312 DOI: 10.1007/s12195-021-00689-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2021] [Accepted: 07/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction Mechanical forces regulate many facets of cell and tissue biology. Studying the effects of forces on cells requires real-time observations of single- and multi-cell dynamics in tissue models during controlled external mechanical input. Many of the existing devices used to conduct these studies are costly and complicated to fabricate, which reduces the availability of these devices to many laboratories.
Methods We show how to fabricate a simple, low-cost, uniaxial stretching device, with readily available materials and instruments that is compatible with high-resolution time-lapse microscopy of adherent cell monolayers. In addition, we show how to construct a pressure controller that induces a repeatable degree of stretch in monolayers, as well as a custom MATLAB code to quantify individual cell strains. Results As an application note using this device, we show that uniaxial stretch slows down cellular movements in a mammalian epithelial monolayer in a cell density-dependent manner. We demonstrate that the effect on cell movement involves the relocalization of myosin downstream of Rho-associated protein kinase (ROCK). Conclusions This mechanical device provides a platform for broader involvement of engineers and biologists in this important area of cell and tissue biology. We used this device to demonstrate the mechanical regulation of collective cell movements in epithelia. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12195-021-00689-6.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin C. Hart
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305 USA
- Present Address: IGM Biosciences, Mountain View, CA 94043 USA
| | - Joo Yong Sim
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305 USA
- Present Address: Sookmyung Women’s University, Seoul, 04310 Republic of Korea
| | - Matthew A. Hopcroft
- Red Dog Research, Santa Barbara, CA 93109 USA
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of California, Santa Barbara, 2002 Bioengineering Building, 494 UCEN Rd, Santa Barbara, CA 93106 USA
| | - Daniel J. Cohen
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305 USA
- Present Address: Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544 USA
| | - Jiongyi Tan
- Department of Biophysics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305 USA
- Present Address: Department of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143 USA
| | - W. James Nelson
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305 USA
| | - Beth L. Pruitt
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305 USA
- Department of Biophysics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305 USA
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of California, Santa Barbara, 2002 Bioengineering Building, 494 UCEN Rd, Santa Barbara, CA 93106 USA
- Biomolecular Science and Engineering Program, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA 93106 USA
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3
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A Fully Integrated Arduino-Based System for the Application of Stretching Stimuli to Living Cells and Their Time-Lapse Observation: A Do-It-Yourself Biology Approach. Ann Biomed Eng 2021; 49:2243-2259. [PMID: 33728867 DOI: 10.1007/s10439-021-02758-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2020] [Accepted: 02/20/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Mechanobiology has nowadays acquired the status of a topic of fundamental importance in a degree in Biological Sciences. It is inherently a multidisciplinary topic where biology, physics and engineering competences are required. A course in mechanobiology should include lab experiences where students can appreciate how mechanical stimuli from outside affect living cell behaviour. Here we describe all the steps to build a cell stretcher inside an on-stage cell incubator. This device allows exposing living cells to a periodic mechanical stimulus similar to what happens in physiological conditions such as, for example, in the vascular system or in the lungs. The reaction of the cells to the periodic mechanical stretching represents a prototype of a mechanobiological signal integrated by living cells. We also provide the theoretical and experimental aspects related to the calibration of the stretcher apparatus at a level accessible to researchers not used to dealing with topics like continuum mechanics and analysis of deformations. We tested our device by stretching cells of two different lines, U87-MG and Balb-3T3 cells, and we analysed and discussed the effect of the periodic stimulus on both cell reorientation and migration. We also discuss the basic aspects related to the quantitative analysis of the reorientation process and of cell migration. We think that the device we propose can be easily reproduced at low-cost within a project-oriented course in the fields of biology, biotechnology and medical engineering.
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Pneumatic unidirectional cell stretching device for mechanobiological studies of cardiomyocytes. Biomech Model Mechanobiol 2019; 19:291-303. [PMID: 31444593 PMCID: PMC7005075 DOI: 10.1007/s10237-019-01211-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2019] [Accepted: 08/02/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
In this paper, we present a transparent mechanical stimulation device capable of uniaxial stimulation, which is compatible with standard bioanalytical methods used in cellular mechanobiology. We validate the functionality of the uniaxial stimulation system using human-induced pluripotent stem cells-derived cardiomyocytes (hiPSC-CMs). The pneumatically controlled device is fabricated from polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and provides uniaxial strain and superior optical performance compatible with standard inverted microscopy techniques used for bioanalytics (e.g., fluorescence microscopy and calcium imaging). Therefore, it allows for a continuous investigation of the cell state during stretching experiments. The paper introduces design and fabrication of the device, characterizes the mechanical performance of the device and demonstrates the compatibility with standard bioanalytical analysis tools. Imaging modalities, such as high-resolution live cell phase contrast imaging and video recordings, fluorescent imaging and calcium imaging are possible to perform in the device. Utilizing the different imaging modalities and proposed stretching device, we demonstrate the capability of the device for extensive further studies of hiPSC-CMs. We also demonstrate that sarcomere structures of hiPSC-CMs organize and orient perpendicular to uniaxial strain axis and thus express more maturated nature of cardiomyocytes.
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Abstract
In native tissues, various cell types organize and spatiotemporally function and communicate with neighboring or remote cells in a highly regulated way. How can we replicate these amazing functional structures in vitro? From the view of a chemist, the heterogeneous cells and extracellular matrix (ECM) could be regarded as various chemical substrate materials for "synthetic" reactions during tissue engineering. But how can we accelerate these reactions? Microfluidics provides ideal solutions. Microfluidics could be metaphorically regarded as a miniature "biofactory", whereas the on-chip critical chemical cues such as biomolecule gradients and physical cues such as geometrical confinement, topological guidance, and mechanical stimulations, along with the external stimulations such as light, electricity, acoustics, and magnetics, could be regarded as "catalytic cues" which can accelerate the "synthetic reactions" by precisely and effectively manipulating a series of cell behaviors including cell adhesion, migration, growth, proliferation, differentiation, cell-cell interaction, and cell-matrix interaction to reduce activation energy of the "synthetic reactions". Thus, on the microfluidics platform, the "biofactory", various "synthetic" reactions take place to change the substrate materials (cells and ECM) into products (tissues) in a nonlinear way, which is a typical feature of a biological process. By precisely organizing the substrate materials and spatiotemporally controlling the activity of the products, as a "biofactory", the microfluidics system can not only "synthesize" living tissues but also recreate physiological or pathophysiological processes such as immune responses, angiogenesis, wound healing, and tumor metastasis in vitro to bring insights into the mechanisms underlying these processes taking place in vivo. In this Account, we borrow the concept of chemical "synthesis" to describe how to "synthesize" artificial tissues using microfluidics from a chemist's view. Accelerated by the built-in physiochemical cues on microfluidics and external stimulations, various tissues could be "synthesized" on a microfluidics platform. We summarize that there are "step-by-step synthesis" and "one-step synthesis" on microfluidics for creating desired tissues with unprecedented precision, accuracy, and speed. In recent years, researchers developed various microfluidic techniques including creating adhesive domains for mediating reverse and precise adhesion, chemical gradients for directing cell growth, geometrical confinements and topological cues for manipulating cell migration, and mechanics for stimulating cell differentiation. By employing and orchestrating these on-chip tissue "synthetic" conditions, "step-by-step synthesis" could be realized on chips to develop multilayered tissues such as blood vessels. "One-step synthesis" on chips could develop functional three-dimensional tissue structures such as neural networks or nephron-like structures. Based on these on-chip studies, many critical physiological and pathophysiological processes such as wound healing, tumor metastasis, and atherosclerosis could be deeply investigated, and the drugs or therapeutic approaches could also be evaluated or screened conveniently. The "synthetic tissues on microfluidics" system would pave an avenue for precise creation of artificial tissues for not only fundamental research but also biomedical applications such as tissue engineering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenfu Zheng
- Beijing Engineering Research Center for BioNanotechnology and CAS Key Laboratory for Biomedical Effects of Nanomaterials and Nanosafety, CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, National Center for NanoScience and Technology, Beijing 100190, P. R. China
| | - Xingyu Jiang
- Beijing Engineering Research Center for BioNanotechnology and CAS Key Laboratory for Biomedical Effects of Nanomaterials and Nanosafety, CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, National Center for NanoScience and Technology, Beijing 100190, P. R. China
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, No. 1088 Xueyuan Rd, Nanshan District, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518055, P. R. China
- The University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, P. R. China
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6
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Jepsen ML, Nielsen LH, Boisen A, Almdal K, Dufva M. Characterization of thin gelatin hydrogel membranes with balloon properties for dynamic tissue engineering. Biopolymers 2018; 110:e23241. [PMID: 30536858 DOI: 10.1002/bip.23241] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2018] [Revised: 10/12/2018] [Accepted: 11/02/2018] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Cell or tissue stretching and strain are present in any in vivo environment, but is difficult to reproduce in vitro. Here, we describe a simple method for casting a thin (about 500 μm) and soft (about 0.3 kPa) hydrogel of gelatin and a method for characterizing the mechanical properties of the hydrogel simply by changing pressure with a water column. The gelatin is crosslinked with mTransglutaminase and the area of the resulting hydrogel can be increased up 13-fold by increasing the radial water pressure. This is far beyond physiological stretches observed in vivo. Actuating the hydrogel with a radial force achieves both information about stiffness, stretchability, and contractability, which are relevant properties for tissue engineering purposes. Cells could be stretched and contracted using the gelatin membrane. Gelatin is a commonly used polymer for hydrogels in tissue engineering, and the discovered reversible stretching is particularly interesting for organ modeling applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Morten Leth Jepsen
- Department of Micro- and Nanotechnology, The Danish National Research Foundation and Villum Foundation's Center for Intelligent Drug Delivery and Sensing Using Microcontainers and Nanomechanics (IDUN), Technical University of Denmark, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Line Hagner Nielsen
- Department of Micro- and Nanotechnology, The Danish National Research Foundation and Villum Foundation's Center for Intelligent Drug Delivery and Sensing Using Microcontainers and Nanomechanics (IDUN), Technical University of Denmark, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Anja Boisen
- Department of Micro- and Nanotechnology, The Danish National Research Foundation and Villum Foundation's Center for Intelligent Drug Delivery and Sensing Using Microcontainers and Nanomechanics (IDUN), Technical University of Denmark, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Kristoffer Almdal
- Department of Micro- and Nanotechnology, The Danish National Research Foundation and Villum Foundation's Center for Intelligent Drug Delivery and Sensing Using Microcontainers and Nanomechanics (IDUN), Technical University of Denmark, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Martin Dufva
- Department of Micro- and Nanotechnology, The Danish National Research Foundation and Villum Foundation's Center for Intelligent Drug Delivery and Sensing Using Microcontainers and Nanomechanics (IDUN), Technical University of Denmark, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
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Matsui TS, Wu H, Deguchi S. Deformable 96-well cell culture plate compatible with high-throughput screening platforms. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0203448. [PMID: 30188938 PMCID: PMC6126838 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0203448] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2017] [Accepted: 07/03/2018] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Adherent cells such as endothelial cells sense applied mechanical stretch to adapt to changes in their surrounding mechanical environment. Despite numerous studies, signaling pathways underlying the cellular mechanosensing and adaptation remain to be fully elucidated partly because of the lack of tools that allow for a comprehensive screening approach. Conventionally, multi-well cell culture plates of standard configurations are used for comprehensive analyses in cell biology study to identify key molecules in a high-throughput manner. Given that situation, here we design a 96-well cell culture plate made of elastic silicone and mechanically stretchable using a motorized device. Computational analysis suggested that highly uniform stretch can be applied to each of the wells other than the peripheral wells. Elastic image registration-based experimental evaluation on stretch distributions within individual wells revealed the presence of larger variations among wells compared to those in the computational analysis, but a stretch level of 10%–that has been employed in conventional studies on cellular response to stretch—was almost achieved with our setup. We exposed vascular smooth muscle cells to cyclic stretch using the device to demonstrate morphological repolarization of the cells, i.e. typical cellular response to cyclic stretch. Because the deformable multi-well plate validated here is compatible with other high-throughput screening-oriented technologies, we expect this novel system to be utilized for future comprehensive analyses of stretch-related signaling pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tsubasa S Matsui
- Division of Bioengineering, Graduate School of Engineering Science, Osaka University, Toyonaka, Osaka, Japan.,Department of Nanopharmaceutical Sciences, Nagoya Institute of Technology, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan
| | - Hugejile Wu
- Department of Nanopharmaceutical Sciences, Nagoya Institute of Technology, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan
| | - Shinji Deguchi
- Division of Bioengineering, Graduate School of Engineering Science, Osaka University, Toyonaka, Osaka, Japan.,Department of Nanopharmaceutical Sciences, Nagoya Institute of Technology, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan
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Shen N, Riedl JA, Carvajal Berrio DA, Davis Z, Monaghan MG, Layland SL, Hinderer S, Schenke-Layland K. A flow bioreactor system compatible with real-time two-photon fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2018; 13:024101. [PMID: 29148433 DOI: 10.1088/1748-605x/aa9b3c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Bioreactors are essential cell and tissue culture tools that allow the introduction of biophysical signals into in vitro cultures. One major limitation is the need to interrupt experiments and sacrifice samples at certain time points for analyses. To address this issue, we designed a bioreactor that combines high-resolution contact-free imaging and continuous flow in a closed system that is compatible with various types of microscopes. The high throughput fluid flow bioreactor was combined with two-photon fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy (2P-FLIM) and validated. The hydrodynamics of the bioreactor chamber were characterized using COMSOL. The simulation of shear stress indicated that the bioreactor system provides homogeneous and reproducible flow conditions. The designed bioreactor was used to investigate the effects of low shear stress on human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). In a scratch assay, we observed decreased migration of HUVECs under shear stress conditions. Furthermore, metabolic activity shifts from glycolysis to oxidative phosphorylation-dependent mechanisms in HUVECs cultured under low shear stress conditions were detected using 2P-FLIM. Future applications for this bioreactor range from observing cell fate development in real-time to monitoring the environmental effects on cells or metabolic changes due to drug applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nian Shen
- Department of Women's Health, Research Institute of Women's Health, University Hospital of the Eberhard Karls University, Tübingen, Germany. Department of Cell and Tissue Engineering, Fraunhofer Institute for Interfacial Engineering and Biotechnology IGB, Stuttgart, Germany
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9
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Abstract
The focus of this paper is to describe the mechanism and behavior of two-dimensional in vitro cell stretch platforms, as well as discussing designs for the evaluation of mechanical properties of cells. It is extremely important to understand the cellular response to extrinsic mechanical forces as living biological system is constantly subjected to mechanical forces in vivo. In addition, this mechanistic understanding of cellular response will provide valuable information towards the design and fabrication of bioengineered tissues and organs, which are expected to replace and/or aid bodily functions. This paper will primarily focus on the development, advantages and limitations of two-dimensional cell stretch platforms.
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Affiliation(s)
- H. GHAZIZADEH
- Joint School of Nanoscience and Nanoengineering, North Carolina A&T State University, 2907 East Gate City Blvd., Greensboro, NC 27401, USA
| | - S. ARAVAMUDHAN
- Joint School of Nanoscience and Nanoengineering, North Carolina A&T State University, 2907 East Gate City Blvd., Greensboro, NC 27401, USA
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10
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Kim JK, Louhghalam A, Lee G, Schafer BW, Wirtz D, Kim DH. Nuclear lamin A/C harnesses the perinuclear apical actin cables to protect nuclear morphology. Nat Commun 2017; 8:2123. [PMID: 29242553 PMCID: PMC5730574 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-017-02217-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 109] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2017] [Accepted: 11/14/2017] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The distinct spatial architecture of the apical actin cables (or actin cap) facilitates rapid biophysical signaling between extracellular mechanical stimuli and intracellular responses, including nuclear shaping, cytoskeletal remodeling, and the mechanotransduction of external forces into biochemical signals. These functions are abrogated in lamin A/C-deficient mouse embryonic fibroblasts that recapitulate the defective nuclear organization of laminopathies, featuring disruption of the actin cap. However, how nuclear lamin A/C mediates the ability of the actin cap to regulate nuclear morphology remains unclear. Here, we show that lamin A/C expressing cells can form an actin cap to resist nuclear deformation in response to physiological mechanical stresses. This study reveals how the nuclear lamin A/C-mediated formation of the perinuclear apical actin cables protects the nuclear structural integrity from extracellular physical disturbances. Our findings highlight the role of the physical interactions between the cytoskeletal network and the nucleus in cellular mechanical homeostasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeong-Ki Kim
- KU-KIST Graduate School of Converging Science and Technology, Korea University, Seoul, 02841, South Korea
| | - Arghavan Louhghalam
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, Dartmouth, MA, 02747, USA
| | - Geonhui Lee
- KU-KIST Graduate School of Converging Science and Technology, Korea University, Seoul, 02841, South Korea
| | - Benjamin W Schafer
- Institute for NanoBioTechnology, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 21218, USA
- Department of Civil Engineering, The John Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 21218, USA
| | - Denis Wirtz
- Institute for NanoBioTechnology, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 21218, USA
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, The John Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 21218, USA
- Johns Hopkins Physical Sciences-Oncology Center, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 21218, USA
- Departments of Pathology and Oncology and Sydney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Dong-Hwee Kim
- KU-KIST Graduate School of Converging Science and Technology, Korea University, Seoul, 02841, South Korea.
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Adding dimension to cellular mechanotransduction: Advances in biomedical engineering of multiaxial cell-stretch systems and their application to cardiovascular biomechanics and mechano-signaling. PROGRESS IN BIOPHYSICS AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.pbiomolbio.2017.06.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
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12
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Wu L, Zhang Z, Gao H, Li Y, Hou L, Yao H, Wu S, Liu J, Wang L, Zhai Y, Ou H, Lin M, Wu X, Liu J, Lang G, Xin Q, Wu G, Luo L, Liu P, Shentu J, Wu N, Sheng J, Qiu Y, Chen W, Li L. Open-label phase I clinical trial of Ad5-EBOV in Africans in China. Hum Vaccin Immunother 2017; 13. [PMID: 28708962 DOI: 10.1002/smll.201701815] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2017] [Revised: 07/31/2017] [Indexed: 04/16/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND To determine the safety and immunogenicity of a novel recombinant adenovirus type 5 vector based Ebola virus disease vaccine (Ad5-EBOV) in Africans in China. METHODS A phase 1, dose-escalation, open-label trial was conducted. 61 healthy Africans were sequentially enrolled, with 31 participants receiving one shot intramuscular injection and 30 participants receiving a double-shot regimen. Primary and secondary end points related to safety and immunogenicity were assessed within 28 d after vaccination. This study was registered with ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT02401373). RESULTS Ad5-EBOV is well tolerated and no adverse reaction of grade 3 or above was observed. 53 (86.89%) participants reported at least one adverse reaction within 28 d of vaccination. The most common reaction was fever and the mild pain at injection site, and there were no significant difference between these 2 groups. Ebola glycoprotein-specific antibodies appeared in all 61 participants and antibodies titers peaked after 28 d of vaccination. The geometric mean titres (GMTs) were similar between these 2 groups (1919.01 vs 1684.70 P = 0.5562). The glycoprotein-specific T-cell responses rapidly peaked after 14 d of vaccination and then decreased, however, the percentage of subjects with responses were much higher in the high-dose group (60.00% vs 9.68%, P = 0.0014). Pre-existing Ad5 neutralizing antibodies could significantly dampen the specific humoral immune response and cellular response to the vaccine. CONCLUSION The application of Ad5-EBOV demonstrated safe in Africans in China and a specific GP antibody and T-cell response could occur 14 d after the first immunization. This acceptable safety profile provides a reliable basis to proceed with trials in Africa.
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MESH Headings
- Adult
- Africa/epidemiology
- Antibodies, Neutralizing/blood
- Antibodies, Viral/blood
- China
- Ebola Vaccines/administration & dosage
- Ebola Vaccines/adverse effects
- Ebola Vaccines/immunology
- Ebolavirus/immunology
- Female
- Fever/ethnology
- Healthy Volunteers
- Hemorrhagic Fever, Ebola/epidemiology
- Hemorrhagic Fever, Ebola/ethnology
- Hemorrhagic Fever, Ebola/immunology
- Hemorrhagic Fever, Ebola/prevention & control
- Humans
- Immunity, Cellular
- Immunity, Humoral
- Immunogenicity, Vaccine
- Injections, Intramuscular
- Male
- Membrane Glycoproteins/immunology
- Middle Aged
- T-Lymphocytes/immunology
- Vaccination
- Young Adult
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Affiliation(s)
- Lihua Wu
- a The First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University , Xiacheng District, Hangzhou , Zhejiang , China
- b The Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases , Xiacheng District, Hangzhou , Zhejiang , China
| | - Zhe Zhang
- c Beijing Institute of Biotechnology , Haidian District, Beijing , China
| | - Hainv Gao
- b The Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases , Xiacheng District, Hangzhou , Zhejiang , China
- d Zhejiang University International Hospital , Xiacheng District, Hangzhou , Zhejiang , China
| | - Yuhua Li
- e National Institutes for Food and Drug Control , Chongwen District, Beijing , China
| | - Lihua Hou
- c Beijing Institute of Biotechnology , Haidian District, Beijing , China
| | - Hangping Yao
- a The First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University , Xiacheng District, Hangzhou , Zhejiang , China
- b The Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases , Xiacheng District, Hangzhou , Zhejiang , China
| | - Shipo Wu
- c Beijing Institute of Biotechnology , Haidian District, Beijing , China
| | - Jian Liu
- a The First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University , Xiacheng District, Hangzhou , Zhejiang , China
- b The Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases , Xiacheng District, Hangzhou , Zhejiang , China
| | - Ling Wang
- e National Institutes for Food and Drug Control , Chongwen District, Beijing , China
| | - You Zhai
- a The First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University , Xiacheng District, Hangzhou , Zhejiang , China
- b The Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases , Xiacheng District, Hangzhou , Zhejiang , China
| | - Huilin Ou
- a The First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University , Xiacheng District, Hangzhou , Zhejiang , China
- b The Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases , Xiacheng District, Hangzhou , Zhejiang , China
| | - Meihua Lin
- a The First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University , Xiacheng District, Hangzhou , Zhejiang , China
- b The Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases , Xiacheng District, Hangzhou , Zhejiang , China
| | - Xiaoxin Wu
- b The Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases , Xiacheng District, Hangzhou , Zhejiang , China
- d Zhejiang University International Hospital , Xiacheng District, Hangzhou , Zhejiang , China
| | - Jingjing Liu
- e National Institutes for Food and Drug Control , Chongwen District, Beijing , China
| | - Guanjing Lang
- a The First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University , Xiacheng District, Hangzhou , Zhejiang , China
- b The Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases , Xiacheng District, Hangzhou , Zhejiang , China
| | - Qian Xin
- f The General Hospital of People's Liberation Army , Beijing , China
| | - Guolan Wu
- a The First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University , Xiacheng District, Hangzhou , Zhejiang , China
- b The Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases , Xiacheng District, Hangzhou , Zhejiang , China
| | - Li Luo
- g Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics , School of Public Health, Southeast University , Nanjing , Jiangsu , China
| | - Pei Liu
- g Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics , School of Public Health, Southeast University , Nanjing , Jiangsu , China
| | - Jianzhong Shentu
- a The First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University , Xiacheng District, Hangzhou , Zhejiang , China
- b The Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases , Xiacheng District, Hangzhou , Zhejiang , China
| | - Nanping Wu
- a The First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University , Xiacheng District, Hangzhou , Zhejiang , China
- b The Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases , Xiacheng District, Hangzhou , Zhejiang , China
| | - Jifang Sheng
- a The First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University , Xiacheng District, Hangzhou , Zhejiang , China
- b The Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases , Xiacheng District, Hangzhou , Zhejiang , China
| | - Yunqing Qiu
- a The First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University , Xiacheng District, Hangzhou , Zhejiang , China
- b The Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases , Xiacheng District, Hangzhou , Zhejiang , China
| | - Wei Chen
- c Beijing Institute of Biotechnology , Haidian District, Beijing , China
| | - Lanjuan Li
- a The First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University , Xiacheng District, Hangzhou , Zhejiang , China
- b The Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases , Xiacheng District, Hangzhou , Zhejiang , China
- d Zhejiang University International Hospital , Xiacheng District, Hangzhou , Zhejiang , China
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Abdalrahman T, Dubuis L, Green J, Davies N, Franz T. Cellular mechanosensitivity to substrate stiffness decreases with increasing dissimilarity to cell stiffness. Biomech Model Mechanobiol 2017; 16:2063-2075. [PMID: 28733924 DOI: 10.1007/s10237-017-0938-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2017] [Accepted: 07/11/2017] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Computational modelling has received increasing attention to investigate multi-scale coupled problems in micro-heterogeneous biological structures such as cells. In the current study, we investigated for a single cell the effects of (1) different cell-substrate attachment (2) and different substrate modulus [Formula: see text] on intracellular deformations. A fibroblast was geometrically reconstructed from confocal micrographs. Finite element models of the cell on a planar substrate were developed. Intracellular deformations due to substrate stretch of [Formula: see text], were assessed for: (1) cell-substrate attachment implemented as full basal contact (FC) and 124 focal adhesions (FA), respectively, and [Formula: see text]140 KPa and (2) [Formula: see text], 140, 1000, and 10,000 KPa, respectively, and FA attachment. The largest strains in cytosol, nucleus and cell membrane were higher for FC (1.35[Formula: see text], 0.235[Formula: see text] and 0.6[Formula: see text]) than for FA attachment (0.0952[Formula: see text], 0.0472[Formula: see text] and 0.05[Formula: see text]). For increasing [Formula: see text], the largest maximum principal strain was 4.4[Formula: see text], 5[Formula: see text], 5.3[Formula: see text] and 5.3[Formula: see text] in the membrane, 9.5[Formula: see text], 1.1[Formula: see text], 1.2[Formula: see text] and 1.2[Formula: see text] in the cytosol, and 4.5[Formula: see text], 5.3[Formula: see text], 5.7[Formula: see text] and 5.7[Formula: see text] in the nucleus. The results show (1) the importance of representing FA in cell models and (2) higher cellular mechanical sensitivity for substrate stiffness changes in the range of cell stiffness. The latter indicates that matching substrate stiffness to cell stiffness, and moderate variation of the former is very effective for controlled variation of cell deformation. The developed methodology is useful for parametric studies on cellular mechanics to obtain quantitative data of subcellular strains and stresses that cannot easily be measured experimentally.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tamer Abdalrahman
- Division of Biomedical Engineering, Department of Human Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Observatory, South Africa
| | - Laura Dubuis
- Division of Biomedical Engineering, Department of Human Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Observatory, South Africa
| | - Jason Green
- Cardiovascular Research Unit, Chris Barnard Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, University of Cape Town, Observatory, South Africa
| | - Neil Davies
- Cardiovascular Research Unit, Chris Barnard Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, University of Cape Town, Observatory, South Africa
| | - Thomas Franz
- Division of Biomedical Engineering, Department of Human Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Observatory, South Africa. .,Bioengineering Science Research Group, Engineering Sciences, Faculty of Engineering and the Environment, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK.
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14
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Renner DJ, Ewald ML, Kim T, Yamada S. Biochemical analysis of force-sensitive responses using a large-scale cell stretch device. Cell Adh Migr 2017; 11:504-513. [PMID: 28129019 DOI: 10.1080/19336918.2016.1276147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Physical force has emerged as a key regulator of tissue homeostasis, and plays an important role in embryogenesis, tissue regeneration, and disease progression. Currently, the details of protein interactions under elevated physical stress are largely missing, therefore, preventing the fundamental, molecular understanding of mechano-transduction. This is in part due to the difficulty isolating large quantities of cell lysates exposed to force-bearing conditions for biochemical analysis. We designed a simple, easy-to-fabricate, large-scale cell stretch device for the analysis of force-sensitive cell responses. Using proximal biotinylation (BioID) analysis or phospho-specific antibodies, we detected force-sensitive biochemical changes in cells exposed to prolonged cyclic substrate stretch. For example, using promiscuous biotin ligase BirA* tagged α-catenin, the biotinylation of myosin IIA increased with stretch, suggesting the close proximity of myosin IIA to α-catenin under a force bearing condition. Furthermore, using phospho-specific antibodies, Akt phosphorylation was reduced upon stretch while Src phosphorylation was unchanged. Interestingly, phosphorylation of GSK3β, a downstream effector of Akt pathway, was also reduced with stretch, while the phosphorylation of other Akt effectors was unchanged. These data suggest that the Akt-GSK3β pathway is force-sensitive. This simple cell stretch device enables biochemical analysis of force-sensitive responses and has potential to uncover molecules underlying mechano-transduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Derrick J Renner
- a Biomedical Engineering Department , University of California , Davis, Davis , CA , USA
| | - Makena L Ewald
- a Biomedical Engineering Department , University of California , Davis, Davis , CA , USA
| | - Timothy Kim
- a Biomedical Engineering Department , University of California , Davis, Davis , CA , USA
| | - Soichiro Yamada
- a Biomedical Engineering Department , University of California , Davis, Davis , CA , USA
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15
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Warren KM, Islam MM, LeDuc PR, Steward R. 2D and 3D Mechanobiology in Human and Nonhuman Systems. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2016; 8:21869-21882. [PMID: 27214883 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.5b12064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Mechanobiology involves the investigation of mechanical forces and their effect on the development, physiology, and pathology of biological systems. The human body has garnered much attention from many groups in the field, as mechanical forces have been shown to influence almost all aspects of human life ranging from breathing to cancer metastasis. Beyond being influential in human systems, mechanical forces have also been shown to impact nonhuman systems such as algae and zebrafish. Studies of nonhuman and human systems at the cellular level have primarily been done in two-dimensional (2D) environments, but most of these systems reside in three-dimensional (3D) environments. Furthermore, outcomes obtained from 3D studies are often quite different than those from 2D studies. We present here an overview of a select group of human and nonhuman systems in 2D and 3D environments. We also highlight mechanobiological approaches and their respective implications for human and nonhuman physiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristin M Warren
- Departments of Mechanical Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Computational Biology, and Biological Sciences, Carnegie Mellon University , Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, United States
| | - Md Mydul Islam
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering and Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Central Florida , Orlando, Florida 32827, United States
| | - Philip R LeDuc
- Departments of Mechanical Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Computational Biology, and Biological Sciences, Carnegie Mellon University , Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, United States
| | - Robert Steward
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering and Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Central Florida , Orlando, Florida 32827, United States
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16
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Zheng W, Huang R, Jiang B, Zhao Y, Zhang W, Jiang X. An Early-Stage Atherosclerosis Research Model Based on Microfluidics. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2016; 12:2022-2034. [PMID: 26890624 DOI: 10.1002/smll.201503241] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2015] [Revised: 01/25/2016] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
The arterial microenvironment plays a vital role in the pathology of atherosclerosis (AS). However, the interplay between the arterial microenvironment and atherogenesis remains unclear, partially due to the gap between cell culture and animal experiments. Addressing this problem, the present study reports a microfluidic AS model reconstituting early-stage AS. Physiological or AS-prone hemodynamic conditions are recapitulated on the model. The on-chip model recaptures the atherogenic responses of endothelial cells (ECs) in ways that the Petri dish could not. Significant cytotoxicity of a clinical anti-atherosclerotic drug probucol is discovered on the model, which does not appear on Petri dish but is supported by previous clinical evidence. Moreover, the anti-AS efficiency of platinum-nanoparticles (Pt-NPs) on the model shows excellent consistency with animal experiments. The early-stage AS model shows an excellent connection between Petri dish and animal experiments and highlights its promising role in bridging fundamental AS research, drug screening, and clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenfu Zheng
- Beijing Engineering Research Center for BioNanotechnology, CAS Key Laboratory for Biological Effects of Nanomaterials and Nanosafety, National Center for NanoScience and Technology, No.11 BeiYiTiao, ZhongGuanCun, Beijing, 100190, P. R. China
| | - Rong Huang
- College of Physics and Collaborative Innovation Center for Marine Biomass Fibers, Materials and Textiles of Shandong Province, Qingdao University, No. 308 Ningxia Road, Qingdao, 266071, China
| | - Bo Jiang
- Beijing Engineering Research Center for BioNanotechnology, CAS Key Laboratory for Biological Effects of Nanomaterials and Nanosafety, National Center for NanoScience and Technology, No.11 BeiYiTiao, ZhongGuanCun, Beijing, 100190, P. R. China
| | - Yuyun Zhao
- Beijing Engineering Research Center for BioNanotechnology, CAS Key Laboratory for Biological Effects of Nanomaterials and Nanosafety, National Center for NanoScience and Technology, No.11 BeiYiTiao, ZhongGuanCun, Beijing, 100190, P. R. China
| | - Wei Zhang
- Beijing Engineering Research Center for BioNanotechnology, CAS Key Laboratory for Biological Effects of Nanomaterials and Nanosafety, National Center for NanoScience and Technology, No.11 BeiYiTiao, ZhongGuanCun, Beijing, 100190, P. R. China
| | - Xingyu Jiang
- Beijing Engineering Research Center for BioNanotechnology, CAS Key Laboratory for Biological Effects of Nanomaterials and Nanosafety, National Center for NanoScience and Technology, No.11 BeiYiTiao, ZhongGuanCun, Beijing, 100190, P. R. China
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17
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Schürmann S, Wagner S, Herlitze S, Fischer C, Gumbrecht S, Wirth-Hücking A, Prölß G, Lautscham LA, Fabry B, Goldmann WH, Nikolova-Krstevski V, Martinac B, Friedrich O. The IsoStretcher: An isotropic cell stretch device to study mechanical biosensor pathways in living cells. Biosens Bioelectron 2016; 81:363-372. [PMID: 26991603 DOI: 10.1016/j.bios.2016.03.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2015] [Revised: 03/07/2016] [Accepted: 03/08/2016] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Mechanosensation in many organs (e.g. lungs, heart, gut) is mediated by biosensors (like mechanosensitive ion channels), which convert mechanical stimuli into electrical and/or biochemical signals. To study those pathways, technical devices are needed that apply strain profiles to cells, and ideally allow simultaneous live-cell microscopy analysis. Strain profiles in organs can be complex and multiaxial, e.g. in hollow organs. Most devices in mechanobiology apply longitudinal uniaxial stretch to adhered cells using elastomeric membranes to study mechanical biosensors. Recent approaches in biomedical engineering have employed intelligent systems to apply biaxial or multiaxial stretch to cells. Here, we present an isotropic cell stretch system (IsoStretcher) that overcomes some previous limitations. Our system uses a rotational swivel mechanism that translates into a radial displacement of hooks attached to small circular silicone membranes. Isotropicity and focus stability are demonstrated with fluorescent beads, and transmission efficiency of elastomer membrane stretch to cellular area change in HeLa/HEK cells. Applying our system to lamin-A overexpressing fibrosarcoma cells, we found a markedly reduced stretch of cell area, indicative of a stiffer cytoskeleton. We also investigated stretch-activated Ca(2+) entry into atrial HL-1 myocytes. 10% isotropic stretch induced robust oscillating increases in intracellular Fluo-4 Ca(2+) fluorescence. Store-operated Ca(2+) entry was not detected in these cells. The Isostretcher provides a useful versatile tool for mechanobiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Schürmann
- Institute of Medical Biotechnology, Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Paul-Gordan-Str.3, 91052 Erlangen, Germany
| | - S Wagner
- Institute of Medical Biotechnology, Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Paul-Gordan-Str.3, 91052 Erlangen, Germany; Department of Physics, Biophysics Group, FAU, Henkestr. 91, 91052 Erlangen, Germany
| | - S Herlitze
- Institute of Medical Biotechnology, Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Paul-Gordan-Str.3, 91052 Erlangen, Germany
| | - C Fischer
- Institute of Medical Biotechnology, Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Paul-Gordan-Str.3, 91052 Erlangen, Germany
| | - S Gumbrecht
- Institute of Medical Biotechnology, Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Paul-Gordan-Str.3, 91052 Erlangen, Germany
| | - A Wirth-Hücking
- Institute of Medical Biotechnology, Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Paul-Gordan-Str.3, 91052 Erlangen, Germany
| | - G Prölß
- Institute of Medical Biotechnology, Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Paul-Gordan-Str.3, 91052 Erlangen, Germany
| | - L A Lautscham
- Department of Physics, Biophysics Group, FAU, Henkestr. 91, 91052 Erlangen, Germany
| | - B Fabry
- Department of Physics, Biophysics Group, FAU, Henkestr. 91, 91052 Erlangen, Germany
| | - W H Goldmann
- Department of Physics, Biophysics Group, FAU, Henkestr. 91, 91052 Erlangen, Germany
| | - V Nikolova-Krstevski
- Molecular Cardiology Division, Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute, 405 Liverpool St, Darlinghurst, NSW 2010 Sydney, Australia
| | - B Martinac
- Mechanosensory Biophysics Laboratory, Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute, Darlinghurst NSW 2010, Australia; St Vincent's Clinical School, University of New South Wales, Darlinghurst NSW 2010, Australia
| | - O Friedrich
- Institute of Medical Biotechnology, Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Paul-Gordan-Str.3, 91052 Erlangen, Germany.
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18
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Bernardeschi I, Greco F, Ciofani G, Marino A, Mattoli V, Mazzolai B, Beccai L. A soft, stretchable and conductive biointerface for cell mechanobiology. Biomed Microdevices 2016; 17:46. [PMID: 25797705 DOI: 10.1007/s10544-015-9950-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
In mechanobiology the study of cell response to mechanical stimuli is fundamental, and the involved processes (i.e., mechanotransduction) need to be investigated by interfacing (mechanically and electrically) with the cells in dynamic and non-invasive natural-like conditions. In this work, we present a novel soft, stretchable and conductive biointerface that allows both cell mechanical stimulation and dynamic impedance recording. The biointerface stretchability and conductivity, jointly to the biocompatibility and transparency needed to perform cell culture studies, were obtained by exploiting the formation of wrinkles on the surface of a 90 nm thick conductive layer of poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrene sulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) on a pre-stretched 130 μm thick poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) substrate. Cell adhesion and proliferation of SH-SY5Y human neuroblastoma cells were evaluated, and cell differentiation on the corrugated surface was assessed. We demonstrate how the biointerface remains conductive when applying uniaxial strain up to 10%, and when cell culturing is performed. Finally, a reduction of about 30% of the relative impedance variation signal was measured, with respect to the control, as a result of the mechanical stimulation of cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irene Bernardeschi
- Center for Micro-BioRobotics, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Viale Rinaldo Piaggio 34, 56025, Pontedera, PI, Italy
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19
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Aydin O, Aksoy B, Akalin OB, Bayraktar H, Alaca BE. Time-resolved local strain tracking microscopy for cell mechanics. THE REVIEW OF SCIENTIFIC INSTRUMENTS 2016; 87:023905. [PMID: 26931864 DOI: 10.1063/1.4941715] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
A uniaxial cell stretching technique to measure time-resolved local substrate strain while simultaneously imaging adherent cells is presented. The experimental setup comprises a uniaxial stretcher platform compatible with inverted microscopy and transparent elastomer samples with embedded fluorescent beads. This integration enables the acquisition of real-time spatiotemporal data, which is then processed using a single-particle tracking algorithm to track the positions of fluorescent beads for the subsequent computation of local strain. The present local strain tracking method is demonstrated using polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) samples of rectangular and dogbone geometries. The comparison of experimental results and finite element simulations for the two sample geometries illustrates the capability of the present system to accurately quantify local deformation even when the strain distribution is non-uniform over the sample. For a regular dogbone sample, the experimentally obtained value of local strain at the center of the sample is 77%, while the average strain calculated using the applied cross-head displacement is 48%. This observation indicates that considerable errors may arise when cross-head measurement is utilized to estimate strain in the case of non-uniform sample geometry. Finally, the compatibility of the proposed platform with biological samples is tested using a unibody PDMS sample with a well to contain cells and culture media. HeLa S3 cells are plated on collagen-coated samples and cell adhesion and proliferation are observed. Samples with adherent cells are then stretched to demonstrate simultaneous cell imaging and tracking of embedded fluorescent beads.
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Affiliation(s)
- O Aydin
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Koç University, Rumelifeneri Yolu, Sariyer 34450 Istanbul, Turkey
| | - B Aksoy
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Koç University, Rumelifeneri Yolu, Sariyer 34450 Istanbul, Turkey
| | - O B Akalin
- Biomedical Science and Engineering, Koç University, Rumelifeneri Yolu, Sariyer 34450 Istanbul, Turkey
| | - H Bayraktar
- Biomedical Science and Engineering, Koç University, Rumelifeneri Yolu, Sariyer 34450 Istanbul, Turkey
| | - B E Alaca
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Koç University, Rumelifeneri Yolu, Sariyer 34450 Istanbul, Turkey
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20
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Huang W, Ahmad B, Kawahara T. On-line tracking of living cell subjected to cyclic stretch. ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE OF THE IEEE ENGINEERING IN MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY SOCIETY. IEEE ENGINEERING IN MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY SOCIETY. ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE 2016; 2015:3553-6. [PMID: 26737060 DOI: 10.1109/embc.2015.7319160] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
We propose a novel system for the observation of living cell exposed to cyclic stretch under dynamic conditions. The developed system is mainly composed of a laptop PC, a stretching unit with three motorized stages, and a microscope with a CCD camera. The design of the cell tracking system is based on the deformation characteristics of the elastic chamber and its performance was confirmed through the basic experiments. Finally, we succeeded in on-line imaging of living single cells under the microscope with a high magnification ratio. We believe that the developed system is a promising platform for studying the immediate responses of cells exposed to cyclic stretch.
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21
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Heading in the Right Direction: Understanding Cellular Orientation Responses to Complex Biophysical Environments. Cell Mol Bioeng 2015; 9:12-37. [PMID: 26900408 PMCID: PMC4746215 DOI: 10.1007/s12195-015-0422-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2015] [Accepted: 10/10/2015] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
The aim of cardiovascular regeneration is to mimic the biological and mechanical functioning of tissues. For this it is crucial to recapitulate the in vivo cellular organization, which is the result of controlled cellular orientation. Cellular orientation response stems from the interaction between the cell and its complex biophysical environment. Environmental
biophysical cues are continuously detected and transduced to the nucleus through entwined mechanotransduction pathways. Next to the biochemical cascades invoked by the mechanical stimuli, the structural mechanotransduction pathway made of focal adhesions and the actin cytoskeleton can quickly transduce the biophysical signals directly to the nucleus. Observations linking cellular orientation response to biophysical cues have pointed out that the anisotropy and cyclic straining of the substrate influence cellular orientation. Yet, little is known about the mechanisms governing cellular orientation responses in case of cues applied separately and in combination. This review provides the state-of-the-art knowledge on the structural mechanotransduction pathway of adhesive cells, followed by an overview of the current understanding of cellular orientation responses to substrate anisotropy and uniaxial cyclic strain. Finally, we argue that comprehensive understanding of cellular orientation in complex biophysical environments requires systematic approaches based on the dissection of (sub)cellular responses to the individual cues composing the biophysical niche.
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22
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Liu Z, Qi D, Guo P, Liu Y, Zhu B, Yang H, Liu Y, Li B, Zhang C, Yu J, Liedberg B, Chen X. Thickness-Gradient Films for High Gauge Factor Stretchable Strain Sensors. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2015; 27:6230-7. [PMID: 26376000 DOI: 10.1002/adma.201503288] [Citation(s) in RCA: 139] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2015] [Revised: 08/03/2015] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
High-gauge-factor stretchable strain sensors are developed by utilizing a new strategy of thickness-gradient films with high durability, and high uniaxial/isotropic stretchability based on the self-pinning effect of SWCNTs. The monitoring of detailed damping vibration modes driven by weak sound based on such sensors is demonstrated, making a solid step toward real applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhiyuan Liu
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, 639798, Singapore
| | - Dianpeng Qi
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, 639798, Singapore
| | - Peizhi Guo
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, 639798, Singapore
| | - Yan Liu
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, 639798, Singapore
| | - Bowen Zhu
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, 639798, Singapore
| | - Hui Yang
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, 639798, Singapore
| | - Yaqing Liu
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, 639798, Singapore
| | - Bin Li
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, 639798, Singapore
| | - Chenguang Zhang
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, 639798, Singapore
| | - Jiancan Yu
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, 639798, Singapore
| | - Bo Liedberg
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, 639798, Singapore
| | - Xiaodong Chen
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, 639798, Singapore
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23
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Ugolini GS, Rasponi M, Pavesi A, Santoro R, Kamm R, Fiore GB, Pesce M, Soncini M. On-chip assessment of human primary cardiac fibroblasts proliferative responses to uniaxial cyclic mechanical strain. Biotechnol Bioeng 2015; 113:859-69. [DOI: 10.1002/bit.25847] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2015] [Revised: 08/29/2015] [Accepted: 09/29/2015] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Marco Rasponi
- Department of Electronics, Information and Bioengineering; Politecnico di Milano; Milan Italy
| | - Andrea Pavesi
- BioSyM IRG; Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology; Singapore
| | - Rosaria Santoro
- Unità di Ingegneria Tissutale Cardiovascolare; Centro Cardiologico Monzino IRCCS; Milan Italy
| | - Roger Kamm
- Department of Biological Engineering; Massachusetts Institute of Technology; Cambridge Massachusetts
| | | | - Maurizio Pesce
- Unità di Ingegneria Tissutale Cardiovascolare; Centro Cardiologico Monzino IRCCS; Milan Italy
| | - Monica Soncini
- Department of Electronics, Information and Bioengineering; Politecnico di Milano; Milan Italy
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24
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Mechanical Analysis of a Pneumatically Actuated Concentric Double-Shell Structure for Cell Stretching. MICROMACHINES 2014. [DOI: 10.3390/mi5040868] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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25
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Tissue-specific mechanical and geometrical control of cell viability and actin cytoskeleton alignment. Sci Rep 2014; 4:6160. [PMID: 25146956 PMCID: PMC4141254 DOI: 10.1038/srep06160] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2014] [Accepted: 07/25/2014] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Different tissues have specific mechanical properties and cells of different geometries, such as elongated muscle cells and polygonal endothelial cells, which are precisely regulated during embryo development. However, the mechanisms that underlie these processes are not clear. Here, we built an in vitro model to mimic the cellular microenvironment of muscle by combining both mechanical stretch and geometrical control. We found that mechanical stretch was a key factor that determined the optimal geometry of myoblast C2C12 cells under stretch, whereas vascular endothelial cells and fibroblasts had no such dependency. We presented the first experimental evidence that can explain why myoblasts are destined to take the elongated geometry so as to survive and maintain parallel actin filaments along the stretching direction. The study is not only meaningful for the research on myogenesis but also has potential application in regenerative medicine.
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26
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A polymeric cell stretching device for real-time imaging with optical microscopy. Biomed Microdevices 2014; 15:1043-54. [PMID: 23868118 DOI: 10.1007/s10544-013-9796-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
This paper reports the design, fabrication and characterization of a cell stretching device based on the side stretching approach. Numerical simulation using finite element method provides a guideline for optimizing the geometry and maximizing the output strain of the stretched membrane. An unique PDMS-based micro fabrication process was developed for obtaining high parallelization, well controlled membrane thickness and an ultra-thin bottom layer that is crucial for the use with confocal microscopes. The stretching experiments are fully automated with both device actuation and image acquisition. A programmable pneumatic control system was built for simultaneous driving of 24 stretching arrays. The actuation signals are synchronized with the image acquisition system to obtain time-lapse recording of cells grown on the stretched membrane. Experimental results verified the characteristics predicted by the simulation. A platform with 15 stretching units was integrated on a standard 24 mm × 50 mm glass slide. Each unit can achieve a maximum strain of more than 60 %. The platform was tested for cell growth under cyclic stretching. The preliminary results show that the device is compatible with all standard microscopes.
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27
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Nayak AR, Pandit R. Spiral-wave dynamics in ionically realistic mathematical models for human ventricular tissue: the effects of periodic deformation. Front Physiol 2014; 5:207. [PMID: 24959148 PMCID: PMC4050366 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2014.00207] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2013] [Accepted: 05/14/2014] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
We carry out an extensive numerical study of the dynamics of spiral waves of electrical activation, in the presence of periodic deformation (PD) in two-dimensional simulation domains, in the biophysically realistic mathematical models of human ventricular tissue due to (a) ten-Tusscher and Panfilov (the TP06 model) and (b) ten-Tusscher, Noble, Noble, and Panfilov (the TNNP04 model). We first consider simulations in cable-type domains, in which we calculate the conduction velocity θ and the wavelength λ of a plane wave; we show that PD leads to a periodic, spatial modulation of θ and a temporally periodic modulation of λ; both these modulations depend on the amplitude and frequency of the PD. We then examine three types of initial conditions for both TP06 and TNNP04 models and show that the imposition of PD leads to a rich variety of spatiotemporal patterns in the transmembrane potential including states with a single rotating spiral (RS) wave, a spiral-turbulence (ST) state with a single meandering spiral, an ST state with multiple broken spirals, and a state SA in which all spirals are absorbed at the boundaries of our simulation domain. We find, for both TP06 and TNNP04 models, that spiral-wave dynamics depends sensitively on the amplitude and frequency of PD and the initial condition. We examine how these different types of spiral-wave states can be eliminated in the presence of PD by the application of low-amplitude pulses by square- and rectangular-mesh suppression techniques. We suggest specific experiments that can test the results of our simulations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alok R. Nayak
- Centre for Condensed Matter Theory, Department of Physics, Indian Institute of ScienceBangalore, India
- Robert Bosch Centre for Cyber Physical Systems, Indian Institute of ScienceBangalore, India
| | - Rahul Pandit
- Centre for Condensed Matter Theory, Department of Physics, Indian Institute of ScienceBangalore, India
- Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific ResearchBangalore, India
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28
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Tremblay D, Cuerrier CM, Andrzejewski L, O'Brien ER, Pelling AE. A novel stretching platform for applications in cell and tissue mechanobiology. J Vis Exp 2014. [PMID: 24962250 DOI: 10.3791/51454] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Tools that allow the application of mechanical forces to cells and tissues or that can quantify the mechanical properties of biological tissues have contributed dramatically to the understanding of basic mechanobiology. These techniques have been extensively used to demonstrate how the onset and progression of various diseases are heavily influenced by mechanical cues. This article presents a multi-functional biaxial stretching (BAXS) platform that can either mechanically stimulate single cells or quantify the mechanical stiffness of tissues. The BAXS platform consists of four voice coil motors that can be controlled independently. Single cells can be cultured on a flexible substrate that can be attached to the motors allowing one to expose the cells to complex, dynamic, and spatially varying strain fields. Conversely, by incorporating a force load cell, one can also quantify the mechanical properties of primary tissues as they are exposed to deformation cycles. In both cases, a proper set of clamps must be designed and mounted to the BAXS platform motors in order to firmly hold the flexible substrate or the tissue of interest. The BAXS platform can be mounted on an inverted microscope to perform simultaneous transmitted light and/or fluorescence imaging to examine the structural or biochemical response of the sample during stretching experiments. This article provides experimental details of the design and usage of the BAXS platform and presents results for single cell and whole tissue studies. The BAXS platform was used to measure the deformation of nuclei in single mouse myoblast cells in response to substrate strain and to measure the stiffness of isolated mouse aortas. The BAXS platform is a versatile tool that can be combined with various optical microscopies in order to provide novel mechanobiological insights at the sub-cellular, cellular and whole tissue levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dominique Tremblay
- Centre for Interdisciplinary NanoPhysics, Department of Physics, University of Ottawa
| | - Charles M Cuerrier
- Centre for Interdisciplinary NanoPhysics, Department of Physics, University of Ottawa; University of Ottawa Heart Institue, University of Ottawa
| | - Lukasz Andrzejewski
- Centre for Interdisciplinary NanoPhysics, Department of Physics, University of Ottawa
| | - Edward R O'Brien
- Libin Cardiovascular Institute of Alberta, University of Calgary
| | - Andrew E Pelling
- Centre for Interdisciplinary NanoPhysics, Department of Physics, University of Ottawa; Department of Biology, University of Ottawa; Institute for Science, Society and Policy, University of Ottawa;
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29
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Mechanical Cues Direct Focal Adhesion Dynamics. PROGRESS IN MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND TRANSLATIONAL SCIENCE 2014; 126:103-34. [DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-12-394624-9.00005-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
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30
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Shao Y, Tan X, Novitski R, Muqaddam M, List P, Williamson L, Fu J, Liu AP. Uniaxial cell stretching device for live-cell imaging of mechanosensitive cellular functions. THE REVIEW OF SCIENTIFIC INSTRUMENTS 2013; 84:114304. [PMID: 24289415 PMCID: PMC3862604 DOI: 10.1063/1.4832977] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/14/2023]
Abstract
External mechanical stretch plays an important role in regulating cellular behaviors through intracellular mechanosensitive and mechanotransductive machineries such as the F-actin cytoskeleton (CSK) structures and focal adhesions (FAs) anchoring the F-actin CSK to the extracellular environment. Studying the mechanoresponsive behaviors of the F-actin CSK and FAs in response to cell stretch has great importance for further understanding mechanotransduction and mechanobiology. In this work, we developed a novel cell stretching device combining dynamic directional cell stretch with in situ subcellular live-cell imaging. Using a cam and follower mechanism and applying a standard mathematical model for cam design, we generated different dynamic stretch outputs. By examining stretch-mediated FA dynamics under step-function static stretch and the realignment of cell morphology and the F-actin CSK under cyclic stretch, we demonstrated successful applications of our cell stretching device for mechanobiology studies where external stretch plays an important role in regulating subcellular molecular dynamics and cellular phenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yue Shao
- Integrated Biosystems and Biomechanics Laboratory, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, USA
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31
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Tremblay D, Chagnon-Lessard S, Mirzaei M, Pelling AE, Godin M. A microscale anisotropic biaxial cell stretching device for applications in mechanobiology. Biotechnol Lett 2013; 36:657-65. [PMID: 24129957 PMCID: PMC3964308 DOI: 10.1007/s10529-013-1381-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2013] [Accepted: 10/01/2013] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
A multi-layered polydimethylsiloxane microfluidic device with an integrated suspended membrane has been fabricated that allows dynamic and multi-axial mechanical deformation and simultaneous live-cell microscopy imaging. The transparent membrane’s strain field can be controlled independently along two orthogonal directions. Human foreskin fibroblasts were immobilized on the membrane’s surface and stretched along two orthogonal directions sequentially while performing live-cell imaging. Cyclic deformation of the cells induced a reversible reorientation perpendicular to the direction of the applied strain. Cells remained viable in the microdevice for several days. As opposed to existing microfluidic or macroscale stretching devices, this device can impose changing, anisotropic and time-varying strain fields in order to more closely mimic the complexities of strains occurring in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dominique Tremblay
- Department of Physics, University of Ottawa, 150 Louis-Pasteur, Ottawa, ON, K1N 6N5, Canada
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32
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Mu X, Zheng W, Sun J, Zhang W, Jiang X. Microfluidics for manipulating cells. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2013; 9:9-21. [PMID: 22933509 DOI: 10.1002/smll.201200996] [Citation(s) in RCA: 86] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2012] [Revised: 07/05/2012] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
Microfluidics, a toolbox comprising methods for precise manipulation of fluids at small length scales (micrometers to millimeters), has become useful for manipulating cells. Its uses range from dynamic management of cellular interactions to high-throughput screening of cells, and to precise analysis of chemical contents in single cells. Microfluidics demonstrates a completely new perspective and an excellent practical way to manipulate cells for solving various needs in biology and medicine. This review introduces and comments on recent achievements and challenges of using microfluidics to manipulate and analyze cells. It is believed that microfluidics will assume an even greater role in the mechanistic understanding of cell biology and, eventually, in clinical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuan Mu
- Key Laboratory for Biological Effects of Nanomaterials and Nanosafety, Chinese Academy of Sciences, National Center for NanoScience and Technology, No. 11, Beiyitiao, ZhongGuanCun, Beijing 100190, PR China
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33
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Zheng W, Zhang W, Jiang X. Precise control of cell adhesion by combination of surface chemistry and soft lithography. Adv Healthc Mater 2013. [PMID: 23184447 DOI: 10.1002/adhm.201200104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
The adhesion of cells on an extracellular matrix (ECM) (in vivo) or the surfaces of materials (in vitro) is a prerequisite for most cells to survive. The rapid growth of nano/microfabrication and biomaterial technologies has provided new materials with excellent surfaces with specific, desirable biological interactions with their surroundings. On one hand, the chemical and physical properties of material surfaces exert an extensive influence on cell adhesion, proliferation, migration, and differentiation. On the other hand, material surfaces are useful for fundamental cell biology research and tissue engineering. In this Review, an overview will be given of the chemical and physical properties of newly developed material surfaces and their biological effects, as well as soft lithographic techniques and their applications in cell biology research. Recent advances in the manipulation of cell adhesion by the combination of surface chemistry and soft lithography will also be highlighted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenfu Zheng
- National Center for NanoScience and Technology, Beijing, China
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34
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Abstract
Individual cells in their native physiological states face a dynamic multi-factorial environment. This is true of both single-celled and multi-cellular organisms. A key challenge in cell biology is the design of experimental methods and specific assays to disentangle the contribution of each of the parameters governing cell behavior. After decades of studying cells cultured in Petri dishes or on glass coverslips, researchers can now benefit from a range of recent technological developments that allow them to study cells in a variety of contexts, with different levels of complexity and control over a range of environmental parameters. These technologies include new types of microscopy for detailed imaging of large cell aggregates or even whole tissues, and the development of cell culture substrates, such as 3D matrices. Here we will review the contribution of a third type of tool, collectively known as microfabricated tools. Derived from techniques originally developed for microelectronics, these tools range in size from hundreds of microns to hundreds of nanometers.
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35
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Simmons CS, Petzold BC, Pruitt BL. Microsystems for biomimetic stimulation of cardiac cells. LAB ON A CHIP 2012; 12:3235-48. [PMID: 22782590 DOI: 10.1039/c2lc40308k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
The heart is a complex integrated system that leverages mechanoelectrical signals to synchronize cardiomyocyte contraction and push blood throughout the body. The correct magnitude, timing, and distribution of these signals is critical for proper functioning of the heart; aberrant signals can lead to acute incidents, long-term pathologies, and even death. Due to the heart's limited regenerative capacity and the wide variety of pathologies, heart disease is often studied in vitro. However, it is difficult to accurately replicate the cardiac environment outside of the body. Studying the biophysiology of the heart in vitro typically consists of studying single cells in a tightly controlled static environment or whole tissues in a complex dynamic environment. Micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) allow us to bridge these two extremes by providing increasing complexity for cell culture without having to use a whole tissue. Here, we carefully describe the electromechanical environment of the heart and discuss MEMS specifically designed to replicate these stimulation modes. Strengths, limitations and future directions of various designs are discussed for a variety of applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chelsey S Simmons
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA
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36
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Zheng W, Jiang B, Wang D, Zhang W, Wang Z, Jiang X. A microfluidic flow-stretch chip for investigating blood vessel biomechanics. LAB ON A CHIP 2012; 12:3441-3450. [PMID: 22820518 DOI: 10.1039/c2lc40173h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 98] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
This microfluidic flow-stretch chip integrates fluid shear stress (FSS) and cyclic stretch (CS), two major mechanical stimulations in cardiovascular systems, for cultured cells. The model chip can deliver FSS and CS simultaneously or independently to vascular cells to mimic the haemodynamic microenvironment of blood vessels in vivo. By imposing FSS-only, CS-only, and FSS+CS stimulation on rat mesenchymal stem cells and human umbilical vein endothelial cells, we found the alignment of the cellular stress fibers varied with cell type and the type of stimulation. The flow-stretch chip is a reliable tool for simulating the haemodynamic microenvironment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenfu Zheng
- CAS Key Lab for Biological Effects of Nanomaterials and Nanosafety, National Center for NanoScience & Technology, 11 ZhongGuanCun BeiYiTiao, Beijing, 100190, China
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37
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Nguyen BNB, Chetta J, Shah SB. A Novel Technology for Simultaneous Tensile Loading and High-Resolution Imaging of Cells. Cell Mol Bioeng 2012. [DOI: 10.1007/s12195-012-0245-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/28/2022] Open
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38
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Zheng W, Xie Y, Zhang W, Wang D, Ma W, Wang Z, Jiang X. Fluid flow stress induced contraction and re-spread of mesenchymal stem cells: a microfluidic study. Integr Biol (Camb) 2012; 4:1102-11. [PMID: 22814412 DOI: 10.1039/c2ib20094e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), the multipotent progenitor cells, are sensitive to fluid shear stress (FSS). MSCs can migrate through the blood stream by intravasation into the circulatory system to transfer to distant positions through the blood stream. During the transferring process, MSCs may differentiate into cells of corresponding tissues for repair, or remain undifferentiated and initiate ectopic tissue formation, lipid accumulation, or calcification, which are closely related to the pathology of atherosclerosis. However, how the MSCs sense and respond to vascular FSS stimulation and lead to subsequent biological effects remains elusive. In this study, by using an in situ time-lapse microfluidic cell culture and observation system, we found that rat mesenchymal stem cells (rMSCs) presented a contraction and re-spread (CRS) process when they were initially subjected to a physiological FSS (1.3 Pa). Our subsequent studies demonstrated that integrin and cilia played key roles in sensing FSS. Calcium, F-actin, and Rho-kinase were key molecules in the mechanotransduction of the CRS of the rMSCs. Our study revealed the immediate response of the rMSCs to FSS. It will be helpful for the understanding of MSC-related tissue repair and the role of MSCs in the initiation of atherosclerosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenfu Zheng
- CAS Key Lab for Biological Effects of Nanomaterials and Nanosafety, National Center for NanoScience & Technology, 11 ZhongGuanCun BeiYiTiao, Beijing 100190, China
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39
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Milner JS, Grol MW, Beaucage KL, Dixon SJ, Holdsworth DW. Finite-element modeling of viscoelastic cells during high-frequency cyclic strain. J Funct Biomater 2012; 3:209-24. [PMID: 24956525 PMCID: PMC4031015 DOI: 10.3390/jfb3010209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2012] [Revised: 03/06/2012] [Accepted: 03/13/2012] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Mechanotransduction refers to the mechanisms by which cells sense and respond to local loads and forces. The process of mechanotransduction plays an important role both in maintaining tissue viability and in remodeling to repair damage; moreover, it may be involved in the initiation and progression of diseases such as osteoarthritis and osteoporosis. An understanding of the mechanisms by which cells respond to surrounding tissue matrices or artificial biomaterials is crucial in regenerative medicine and in influencing cellular differentiation. Recent studies have shown that some cells may be most sensitive to low-amplitude, high-frequency (i.e., 1-100 Hz) mechanical stimulation. Advances in finite-element modeling have made it possible to simulate high-frequency mechanical loading of cells. We have developed a viscoelastic finite-element model of an osteoblastic cell (including cytoskeletal actin stress fibers), attached to an elastomeric membrane undergoing cyclic isotropic radial strain with a peak value of 1,000 µstrain. The results indicate that cells experience significant stress and strain amplification when undergoing high-frequency strain, with peak values of cytoplasmic strain five times higher at 45 Hz than at 1 Hz, and peak Von Mises stress in the nucleus increased by a factor of two. Focal stress and strain amplification in cells undergoing high-frequency mechanical stimulation may play an important role in mechanotransduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaques S Milner
- Imaging Research Laboratory, Robarts Research Institute, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON N6A 5K8, Canada.
| | - Matthew W Grol
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON N6A 5C1, Canada.
| | - Kim L Beaucage
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON N6A 5C1, Canada.
| | - S Jeffrey Dixon
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON N6A 5C1, Canada.
| | - David W Holdsworth
- Imaging Research Laboratory, Robarts Research Institute, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON N6A 5K8, Canada.
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40
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Mann JM, Lam RHW, Weng S, Sun Y, Fu J. A silicone-based stretchable micropost array membrane for monitoring live-cell subcellular cytoskeletal response. LAB ON A CHIP 2012; 12:731-40. [PMID: 22193351 PMCID: PMC4120061 DOI: 10.1039/c2lc20896b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
External forces are increasingly recognized as major regulators of cellular structure and function, yet the underlying mechanism by which cells sense forces and transduce them into intracellular biochemical signals and behavioral responses ('mechanotransduction') is largely undetermined. To aid in the mechanistic study of mechanotransduction, herein we devised a cell stretching device that allowed for quantitative control and real-time measurement of mechanical stimuli and cellular biomechanical responses. Our strategy involved a microfabricated array of silicone elastomeric microposts integrated onto a stretchable elastomeric membrane. Using a computer-controlled vacuum, this micropost array membrane (mPAM) was activated to apply equibiaxial cell stretching forces to adherent cells attached to the microposts. Using the mPAM, we studied the live-cell subcellular dynamic responses of contractile forces in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) to a sustained static equibiaxial cell stretch. Our data showed that in response to a sustained cell stretch, VSMCs regulated their cytoskeletal (CSK) contractility in a biphasic manner: they first acutely enhanced their contraction to resist rapid cell deformation ('stiffening') before they allowed slow adaptive inelastic CSK reorganization to release their contractility ('softening'). The contractile response across entire single VSMCs was spatially inhomogeneous and force-dependent. Our mPAM device and live-cell subcellular contractile measurements will help elucidate the mechanotransductive system in VSMCs and thus contribute to our understanding of pressure-induced vascular disease processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer M. Mann
- Integrated Biosystems and Biomechanics Laboratory, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48105, USA
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48105, USA
| | - Raymond H. W. Lam
- Integrated Biosystems and Biomechanics Laboratory, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48105, USA
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48105, USA
| | - Shinuo Weng
- Integrated Biosystems and Biomechanics Laboratory, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48105, USA
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48105, USA
| | - Yubing Sun
- Integrated Biosystems and Biomechanics Laboratory, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48105, USA
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48105, USA
| | - Jianping Fu
- Integrated Biosystems and Biomechanics Laboratory, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48105, USA
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48105, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48105, USA
- Correspondence should be addressed to J. Fu [J. Fu (, Tel: 01-734-615-7363, Fax: 01-734-647-7303)]
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41
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Throm Quinlan AM, Sierad LN, Capulli AK, Firstenberg LE, Billiar KL. Combining dynamic stretch and tunable stiffness to probe cell mechanobiology in vitro. PLoS One 2011; 6:e23272. [PMID: 21858051 PMCID: PMC3156127 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0023272] [Citation(s) in RCA: 80] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2011] [Accepted: 07/10/2011] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Cells have the ability to actively sense their mechanical environment and respond to both substrate stiffness and stretch by altering their adhesion, proliferation, locomotion, morphology, and synthetic profile. In order to elucidate the interrelated effects of different mechanical stimuli on cell phenotype in vitro, we have developed a method for culturing mammalian cells in a two-dimensional environment at a wide range of combined levels of substrate stiffness and dynamic stretch. Polyacrylamide gels were covalently bonded to flexible silicone culture plates and coated with monomeric collagen for cell adhesion. Substrate stiffness was adjusted from relatively soft (G′ = 0.3 kPa) to stiff (G′ = 50 kPa) by altering the ratio of acrylamide to bis-acrylamide, and the silicone membranes were stretched over circular loading posts by applying vacuum pressure to impart near-uniform stretch, as confirmed by strain field analysis. As a demonstration of the system, porcine aortic valve interstitial cells (VIC) and human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSC) were plated on soft and stiff substrates either statically cultured or exposed to 10% equibiaxial or pure uniaxial stretch at 1Hz for 6 hours. In all cases, cell attachment and cell viability were high. On soft substrates, VICs cultured statically exhibit a small rounded morphology, significantly smaller than on stiff substrates (p<0.05). Following equibiaxial cyclic stretch, VICs spread to the extent of cells cultured on stiff substrates, but did not reorient in response to uniaxial stretch to the extent of cells stretched on stiff substrates. hMSCs exhibited a less pronounced response than VICs, likely due to a lower stiffness threshold for spreading on static gels. These preliminary data demonstrate that inhibition of spreading due to a lack of matrix stiffness surrounding a cell may be overcome by externally applied stretch suggesting similar mechanotransduction mechanisms for sensing stiffness and stretch.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angela M. Throm Quinlan
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, UMass Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Leslie N. Sierad
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Andrew K. Capulli
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Laura E. Firstenberg
- Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering, Needham, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Kristen L. Billiar
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Department of Surgery, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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42
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Deibler M, Spatz JP, Kemkemer R. Actin fusion proteins alter the dynamics of mechanically induced cytoskeleton rearrangement. PLoS One 2011; 6:e22941. [PMID: 21850245 PMCID: PMC3151273 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0022941] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2011] [Accepted: 07/01/2011] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Mechanical forces can regulate various functions in living cells. The cytoskeleton is a crucial element for the transduction of forces in cell-internal signals and subsequent biological responses. Accordingly, many studies in cellular biomechanics have been focused on the role of the contractile acto-myosin system in such processes. A widely used method to observe the dynamic actin network in living cells is the transgenic expression of fluorescent proteins fused to actin. However, adverse effects of GFP-actin fusion proteins on cell spreading, migration and cell adhesion strength have been reported. These shortcomings were shown to be partly overcome by fusions of actin binding peptides to fluorescent proteins. Nevertheless, it is not understood whether direct labeling by actin fusion proteins or indirect labeling via these chimaeras alters biomechanical responses of cells and the cytoskeleton to forces. We investigated the dynamic reorganization of actin stress fibers in cells under cyclic mechanical loading by transiently expressing either egfp-Lifeact or eyfp-actin in rat embryonic fibroblasts and observing them by means of live cell microscopy. Our results demonstrate that mechanically-induced actin stress fiber reorganization exhibits very different kinetics in EYFP-actin cells and EGFP-Lifeact cells, the latter showing a remarkable agreement with the reorganization kinetics of non-transfected cells under the same experimental conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Deibler
- Department of New Materials and Biosystems, Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems, Stuttgart, Germany
- Department of Biophysical Chemistry, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Joachim P. Spatz
- Department of New Materials and Biosystems, Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems, Stuttgart, Germany
- Department of Biophysical Chemistry, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Ralf Kemkemer
- Department of New Materials and Biosystems, Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems, Stuttgart, Germany
- * E-mail:
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43
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Live en face imaging of aortic valve leaflets under mechanical stress. Biomech Model Mechanobiol 2011; 11:355-61. [PMID: 21604147 DOI: 10.1007/s10237-011-0315-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2010] [Accepted: 05/08/2011] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Soft tissues, such as tendons, skin, arteries, or lung, are constantly subject to mechanical stresses in vivo. None more so than the aortic heart valve that experiences an array of forces including shear stress, cyclic pressure, strain, and flexion. Anisotropic biaxial cyclic stretch maintains valve homeostasis; however, abnormal forces are implicated in disease progression. The response of the valve endothelium to deviations from physiological levels has not been fully characterized. Here, we show the design and validation of a novel stretch apparatus capable of applying biaxial stretch to viable heart valve tissue, while simultaneously allowing for live en face endothelial cell imaging via confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM). Real-time imaging of tissue is possible while undergoing highly characterized mechanical conditions and maintaining the native extracellular matrix. Thus, it provides significant advantages over traditional cell culture or in vivo animal models. Planar biaxial tissue stretching with simultaneous live cell imaging could prove useful in studying the mechanobiology of any soft tissue.
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44
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Simmons CS, Sim JY, Baechtold P, Gonzalez A, Chung C, Borghi N, Pruitt BL. Integrated strain array for cellular mechanobiology studies. JOURNAL OF MICROMECHANICS AND MICROENGINEERING : STRUCTURES, DEVICES, AND SYSTEMS 2011; 21:54016-54025. [PMID: 21857773 PMCID: PMC3156674 DOI: 10.1088/0960-1317/21/5/054016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
We have developed an integrated strain array for cell culture enabling high-throughput mechano-transduction studies. Biocompatible cell culture chambers were integrated with an acrylic pneumatic compartment and microprocessor-based control system. Each element of the array consists of a deformable membrane supported by a cylindrical pillar within a well. For user-prescribed waveforms, the annular region of the deformable membrane is pulled into the well around the pillar under vacuum, causing the pillar-supported region with cultured cells to be stretched biaxially. The optically clear device and pillar-based mechanism of operation enables imaging on standard laboratory microscopes. Straightforward fabrication utilizes off-the-shelf components, soft lithography techniques in polydimethylsiloxane, and laser ablation of acrylic sheets. Proof of compatibility with basic biological assays and standard imaging equipment were accomplished by straining C2C12 skeletal myoblast cells on the device for 6 hours. At higher strains, cells and actin stress fibers realign with a circumferential preference.
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Affiliation(s)
- C S Simmons
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA
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Lee CF, Haase C, Deguchi S, Kaunas R. Cyclic stretch-induced stress fiber dynamics - dependence on strain rate, Rho-kinase and MLCK. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2010; 401:344-9. [PMID: 20849825 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2010.09.046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2010] [Accepted: 09/09/2010] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Stress fiber realignment is an important adaptive response to cyclic stretch for nonmuscle cells, but the mechanism by which such reorganization occurs is not known. By analyzing stress fiber dynamics using live cell microscopy, we revealed that stress fiber reorientation perpendicular to the direction of cyclic uniaxial stretching at 1 Hz did not involve disassembly of the stress fiber distal ends located at focal adhesion sites. Instead, these distal ends were often used to assemble new stress fibers oriented progressively further away from the direction of stretch. Stress fiber disassembly and reorientation were not induced when the frequency of stretch was decreased to 0.01 Hz, however. Treatment with the Rho-kinase inhibitor Y27632 reduced stress fibers to thin fibers located in the cell periphery which bundled together to form thick fibers oriented parallel to the direction of stretching at 1Hz. In contrast, these thin fibers remained diffuse in cells subjected to stretch at 0.01 Hz. Cyclic stretch at 1 Hz also induced actin fiber formation parallel to the direction of stretch in cells treated with the myosin light chain kinase (MLCK) inhibitor ML-7, but these fibers were located centrally rather than peripherally. These results shed new light on the mechanism by which stress fibers reorient in response to cyclic stretch in different regions of the actin cytoskeleton.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chin-Fu Lee
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843-3120, United States
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