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Kim J, Sakar MS, Bouklas N. Modeling the mechanosensitive collective migration of cells on the surface and the interior of morphing soft tissues. Biomech Model Mechanobiol 2024:10.1007/s10237-024-01870-2. [PMID: 38972940 DOI: 10.1007/s10237-024-01870-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2024] [Accepted: 06/25/2024] [Indexed: 07/09/2024]
Abstract
Cellular contractility, migration, and extracellular matrix (ECM) mechanics are critical for a wide range of biological processes including embryonic development, wound healing, tissue morphogenesis, and regeneration. Even though the distinct response of cells near the tissue periphery has been previously observed in cell-laden microtissues, including faster kinetics and more prominent cell-ECM interactions, there are currently no models that can fully combine coupled surface and bulk mechanics and kinetics to recapitulate the morphogenic response of these constructs. Mailand et al. (Biophys J 117(5):975-986, 2019) had shown the importance of active elastocapillarity in cell-laden microtissues, but modeling the distinct mechanosensitive migration of cells on the periphery and the interior of highly deforming tissues has not been possible thus far, especially in the presence of active elastocapillary effects. This paper presents a framework for understanding the interplay between cellular contractility, migration, and ECM mechanics in dynamically morphing soft tissues accounting for distinct cellular responses in the bulk and the surface of tissues. The major novelty of this approach is that it enables modeling the distinct migratory and contractile response of cells residing on the tissue surface and the bulk, where concurrently the morphing soft tissues undergo large deformations driven by cell contractility. Additionally, the simulation results capture the changes in shape and cell concentration for wounded and intact microtissues, enabling the interpretation of experimental data. The numerical procedure that accounts for mechanosensitive stress generation, large deformations, diffusive migration in the bulk and a distinct mechanism for diffusive migration on deforming surfaces is inspired from recent work on bulk and surface poroelasticity of hydrogels involving elastocapillary effects, but in this work, a two-field weak form is proposed and is able to alleviate numerical instabilities that were observed in the original method that utilized a three-field mixed finite element formulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaemin Kim
- Sibley School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, 14853, NY, USA
| | - Mahmut Selman Sakar
- Institutes of Mechanical Engineering and Bioengineering, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Nikolaos Bouklas
- Sibley School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, 14853, NY, USA.
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2
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Sarkar M, Burkel BM, Ponik SM, Notbohm J. Unexpected softening of a fibrous matrix by contracting inclusions. Acta Biomater 2024; 177:253-264. [PMID: 38272198 PMCID: PMC10948310 DOI: 10.1016/j.actbio.2024.01.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2023] [Revised: 01/16/2024] [Accepted: 01/18/2024] [Indexed: 01/27/2024]
Abstract
Cells respond to the stiffness of their surrounding environment, but quantifying the stiffness of a fibrous matrix at the scale of a cell is complicated, due to the effects of nonlinearity and complex force transmission pathways resulting from randomness in fiber density and connections. While it is known that forces produced by individual contractile cells can stiffen the matrix, it remains unclear how simultaneous contraction of multiple cells in a fibrous matrix alters the stiffness at the scale of a cell. Here, we used computational modeling and experiments to quantify the stiffness of a random fibrous matrix embedded with multiple contracting inclusions, which mimicked the contractile forces of a cell. The results showed that when the matrix was free to contract as a result of the forces produced by the inclusions, the matrix softened rather than stiffened, which was surprising given that the contracting inclusions applied tensile forces to the matrix. Using the computational model, we identified that the underlying cause of the softening was that the majority of the fibers were under a local state of axial compression, causing buckling. We verified that this buckling-induced matrix softening was sufficient for cells to sense and respond by altering their morphology and force generation. Our findings reveal that the localized forces induced by cells do not always stiffen the matrix; rather, softening can occur in instances wherein the matrix can contract in response to the cell-generated forces. This study opens up new possibilities to investigate whether cell-induced softening contributes to maintenance of homeostatic conditions or progression of disease. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: Mechanical interactions between cells and the surrounding matrix strongly influence cellular functions. Cell-induced forces can alter matrix properties, and much prior literature in this area focused on the influence of individual contracting cells. Cells in tissues are rarely solitary; rather, they are interspersed with neighboring cells throughout the matrix. As a result, the mechanics are complicated, leaving it unclear how the multiple contracting cells affect matrix stiffness. Here, we show that multiple contracting inclusions within a fibrous matrix can cause softening that in turn affects cell sensing and response. Our findings provide new directions to determine impacts of cell-induced softening on maintenance of tissue or progression of disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mainak Sarkar
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Brian M Burkel
- Department of Cell and Regenerative Biology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA; University of Wisconsin Carbone Cancer Center, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Suzanne M Ponik
- Department of Cell and Regenerative Biology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA; University of Wisconsin Carbone Cancer Center, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Jacob Notbohm
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA; University of Wisconsin Carbone Cancer Center, Madison, WI, USA.
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3
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Zhao Y, Hu H, Huang Y, Liu H, Yan C, Xu C, Zhang R, Wang Y, Xu Q. Elasticity-controlled jamming criticality in soft composite solids. Nat Commun 2024; 15:1691. [PMID: 38402229 PMCID: PMC10894283 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-45964-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2023] [Accepted: 02/08/2024] [Indexed: 02/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Soft composite solids are made of inclusions dispersed within soft matrices. They are ubiquitous in nature and form the basis of many biological tissues. In the field of materials science, synthetic soft composites are promising candidates for building various engineering devices due to their highly programmable features. However, when the volume fraction of the inclusions increases, predicting the mechanical properties of these materials poses a significant challenge for the classical theories of composite mechanics. The difficulty arises from the inherently disordered, multi-scale interactions between the inclusions and the matrix. To address this challenge, we systematically investigated the mechanics of densely filled soft elastomers containing stiff microspheres. We experimentally demonstrate how the strain-stiffening response of the soft composites is governed by the critical scalings in the vicinity of a shear-jamming transition of the included particles. The proposed criticality framework quantitatively connects the overall mechanics of a soft composite with the elasticity of the matrix and the particles, and captures the diverse mechanical responses observed across a wide range of material parameters. The findings uncover a novel design paradigm of composite mechanics that relies on engineering the jamming properties of the embedded inclusions.
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Grants
- Early Career Scheme (No. 26309620) Research Grants Council, University Grants Committee (RGC, UGC)
- General Research Fund (No. 16307422) Research Grants Council, University Grants Committee (RGC, UGC)
- Collaborative Research Fund No. C6008-20E Research Grants Council, University Grants Committee (RGC, UGC)
- PDFS2324-6S02 Research Grants Council, University Grants Committee (RGC, UGC)
- No. 16300221 Research Grants Council, University Grants Committee (RGC, UGC)
- Asian Science and Technology Pioneering Institutes of Research and Educational League (No. ASPIRE2021#1).
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Affiliation(s)
- Yiqiu Zhao
- Department of Physics, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong SAR, China.
| | - Haitao Hu
- Department of Physics, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Yulu Huang
- Department of Physics, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Hanqing Liu
- Theoretical Division, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM, 87545, USA
| | - Caishan Yan
- Department of Physics, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Chang Xu
- Department of Physics, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Rui Zhang
- Department of Physics, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Yifan Wang
- School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, 639798, Singapore
| | - Qin Xu
- Department of Physics, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong SAR, China.
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Zakharov A, Awan M, Cheng T, Gopinath A, Lee SJJ, Ramasubramanian AK, Dasbiswas K. Clots reveal anomalous elastic behavior of fiber networks. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2024; 10:eadh1265. [PMID: 38198546 PMCID: PMC10780871 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adh1265] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2023] [Accepted: 12/06/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024]
Abstract
The adaptive mechanical properties of soft and fibrous biological materials are relevant to their functionality. The emergence of the macroscopic response of these materials to external stress and intrinsic cell traction from local deformations of their structural components is not well understood. Here, we investigate the nonlinear elastic behavior of blood clots by combining microscopy, rheology, and an elastic network model that incorporates the stretching, bending, and buckling of constituent fibrin fibers. By inhibiting fibrin cross-linking in blood clots, we observe an anomalous softening regime in the macroscopic shear response as well as a reduction in platelet-induced clot contractility. Our model explains these observations from two independent macroscopic measurements in a unified manner, through a single mechanical parameter, the bending stiffness of individual fibers. Supported by experimental evidence, our mechanics-based model provides a framework for predicting and comprehending the nonlinear elastic behavior of blood clots and other active biopolymer networks in general.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrei Zakharov
- Department of Physics, University of California, Merced, Merced, CA 95343, USA
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Myra Awan
- Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, San José State University, San José, CA 95192, USA
| | - Terrence Cheng
- Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, San José State University, San José, CA 95192, USA
| | - Arvind Gopinath
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Merced, Merced, CA 95343, USA
| | - Sang-Joon John Lee
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, San José State University, San José, CA 95192, USA
| | - Anand K. Ramasubramanian
- Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, San José State University, San José, CA 95192, USA
| | - Kinjal Dasbiswas
- Department of Physics, University of California, Merced, Merced, CA 95343, USA
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5
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Kochanowski JA, Carroll B, Asp ME, Kaputa EC, Patteson AE. Bacteria Colonies Modify Their Shear and Compressive Mechanical Properties in Response to Different Growth Substrates. ACS APPLIED BIO MATERIALS 2024. [PMID: 38193703 DOI: 10.1021/acsabm.3c00907] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2024]
Abstract
Bacteria build multicellular communities termed biofilms, which are often encased in a self-secreted extracellular matrix that gives the community mechanical strength and protection against harsh chemicals. How bacteria assemble distinct multicellular structures in response to different environmental conditions remains incompletely understood. Here, we investigated the connection between bacteria colony mechanics and the colony growth substrate by measuring the oscillatory shear and compressive rheology of bacteria colonies grown on agar substrates. We found that bacteria colonies modify their own mechanical properties in response to shear and uniaxial compression in a manner that depends on the concentration of agar in their growth substrate. These findings highlight that mechanical interactions between bacteria and their microenvironments are an important element in bacteria colony development, which can aid in developing strategies to disrupt or reduce biofilm growth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jakub A Kochanowski
- Physics Department and BioInspired Institute, Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York 13210, United States
| | - Bobby Carroll
- Physics Department and BioInspired Institute, Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York 13210, United States
| | - Merrill E Asp
- Physics Department and BioInspired Institute, Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York 13210, United States
| | - Emma C Kaputa
- Physics Department and BioInspired Institute, Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York 13210, United States
| | - Alison E Patteson
- Physics Department and BioInspired Institute, Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York 13210, United States
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6
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Dellatolas I, Bantawa M, Damerau B, Guo M, Divoux T, Del Gado E, Bischofberger I. Local Mechanism Governs Global Reinforcement of Nanofiller-Hydrogel Composites. ACS NANO 2023; 17:20939-20948. [PMID: 37906739 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.3c00716] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2023]
Abstract
We reveal the mechanism for the strong reinforcement of attractive nanofiller-hydrogel composites. Measuring the linear viscoelastic properties of hydrogels containing filler nanoparticles, we show that a significant increase of the modulus can be achieved at unexpectedly low volume fractions of nanofillers when the filler-hydrogel interactions are attractive. Using three-dimensional numerical simulations, we identify a general microscopic mechanism for the reinforcement, common to hydrogel matrices of different compositions and concentrations and containing nanofillers of varying sizes. The attractive interactions induce a local increase in the gel density around the nanofillers. The effective fillers, composed of the nanofillers and the densified regions around them, assemble into a percolated network, which constrains the gel displacement and enhances the stress coupling throughout the system. A global reinforcement of the composite is induced as the stresses become strongly coupled. This physical mechanism of reinforcement, which relies only on attractive filler-matrix interactions, provides design strategies for versatile composites that combine low nanofiller fractions with an enhanced mechanical strength.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ippolyti Dellatolas
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Minaspi Bantawa
- Department of Physics and Institute for Soft Matter Synthesis and Metrology, Georgetown University, Washington, D.C. 20057, United States
| | - Brian Damerau
- Department of Physics and Institute for Soft Matter Synthesis and Metrology, Georgetown University, Washington, D.C. 20057, United States
| | - Ming Guo
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Thibaut Divoux
- ENSL, CNRS, Laboratoire de Physique, F-69342 Lyon, France
- MultiScale Material Science for Energy and Environment, UMI 3466, CNRS-MIT, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Emanuela Del Gado
- Department of Physics and Institute for Soft Matter Synthesis and Metrology, Georgetown University, Washington, D.C. 20057, United States
| | - Irmgard Bischofberger
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
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7
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Chen S, Markovich T, MacKintosh FC. Effective medium theory for mechanical phase transitions of fiber networks. SOFT MATTER 2023; 19:8124-8135. [PMID: 37846933 DOI: 10.1039/d3sm00810j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2023]
Abstract
Networks of stiff fibers govern the elasticity of biological structures such as the extracellular matrix of collagen. These networks are known to stiffen nonlinearly under shear or extensional strain. Recently, it has been shown that such stiffening is governed by a strain-controlled athermal but critical phase transition, from a floppy phase below the critical strain to a rigid phase above the critical strain. While this phase transition has been extensively studied numerically and experimentally, a complete analytical theory for this transition remains elusive. Here, we present an effective medium theory (EMT) for this mechanical phase transition of fiber networks. We extend a previous EMT appropriate for linear elasticity to incorporate nonlinear effects via an anharmonic Hamiltonian. The mean-field predictions of this theory, including the critical exponents, scaling relations and non-affine fluctuations qualitatively agree with previous experimental and numerical results.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sihan Chen
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005, USA.
- Center for Theoretical Biological Physics, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005, USA
| | - Tomer Markovich
- Center for Theoretical Biological Physics, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005, USA
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
- Center for Physics and Chemistry of Living Systems, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
| | - Fred C MacKintosh
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005, USA.
- Center for Theoretical Biological Physics, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005, USA
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005, USA
- Department of Chemistry, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005, USA
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8
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Chang R, Prakash M. Topological damping in an ultrafast giant cell. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2303940120. [PMID: 37792511 PMCID: PMC10576051 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2303940120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2023] [Accepted: 09/01/2023] [Indexed: 10/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Cellular systems are known to exhibit some of the fastest movements in biology, but little is known as to how single cells can dissipate this energy rapidly and adapt to such large accelerations without disrupting internal architecture. To address this, we investigate Spirostomum ambiguum-a giant cell (1-4 mm in length) well-known to exhibit ultrafast contractions (50% of body length) within 5 ms with a peak acceleration of 15[Formula: see text]. Utilizing transmitted electron microscopy and confocal imaging, we identify an association of rough endoplasmic reticulum (RER) and vacuoles throughout the cell-forming a contiguous fenestrated membrane architecture that topologically entangles these two organelles. A nearly uniform interorganelle spacing of 60 nm is observed between RER and vacuoles, closely packing the entire cell. Inspired by the entangled organelle structure, we study the mechanical properties of entangled deformable particles using a vertex-based model, with all simulation parameters matching 10 dimensionless numbers to ensure dynamic similarity. We demonstrate how entangled deformable particles respond to external loads by an increased viscosity against squeezing and help preserve spatial relationships. Because this enhanced damping arises from the entanglement of two networks incurring a strain-induced jamming transition at subcritical volume fractions, which is demonstrated through the spatial correlation of velocity direction, we term this phenomenon "topological damping." Our findings suggest a mechanical role of RER-vacuolar meshwork as a metamaterial capable of damping an ultrafast contraction event.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ray Chang
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA94305
| | - Manu Prakash
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA94305
- Woods Institute for the Environment, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA94305
- Chan Zuckerberg Biohub, San Francisco, CA94158
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9
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Safraou Y, Krehl K, Meyer T, Mehrgan S, Jordan JEL, Tzschätzsch H, Fischer T, Asbach P, Braun J, Sack I, Guo J. The influence of static portal pressure on liver biophysical properties. Acta Biomater 2023; 169:118-129. [PMID: 37507032 DOI: 10.1016/j.actbio.2023.07.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2023] [Revised: 07/03/2023] [Accepted: 07/21/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023]
Abstract
The liver is a highly vascularized organ where fluid properties, including vascular pressure, vessel integrity and fluid viscosity, play a critical role in gross mechanical properties. To study the effects of portal pressure, liver confinement, fluid viscosity, and tissue crosslinking on liver stiffness, water diffusion, and vessel size, we applied multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (mpMRI), including multifrequency magnetic resonance elastography (MRE) and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) measurements, to ex vivo livers from healthy male rats (13.6±1.6 weeks) at room temperature. Four scenarios including altered liver confinement, tissue crosslinking, and vascular fluid viscosity were investigated with mpMRI at different portal pressure levels (0-17.5 cmH2O). Our experiments demonstrated that, with increasing portal pressure, rat livers showed higher water content, water diffusivity, and increased vessel sizes quantified by the vessel tissue volume fraction (VTVF). These effects were most pronounced in native, unconfined livers (VTVF: 300±120%, p<0.05, ADC: 88±29%, p<0.01), while still significant under confinement (confined: VTVF: 53±32%, p<0.01, ADC: 28±19%, p<0.05; confined-fixed: VTVF: 52±20%, p<0.001, ADC: 11±2%, p<0.01; confined-viscous: VTVF: 210±110%, p<0.01, ADC: 26±9%, p<0.001). Softening with elevated portal pressure (-12±5, p<0.05) occurred regardless of confinement and fixation. However, the liver stiffened when exposed to a more viscous inflow fluid (11±4%, p<0.001). Taken together, our results elucidate the complex relationship between macroscopic-biophysical parameters of liver tissue measured by mpMRI and vascular-fluid properties. Influenced by portal pressure, vascular permeability, and matrix crosslinking, liver stiffness is sensitive to intrinsic poroelastic properties, which, alongside vascular architecture and water diffusivity, may aid in the differential diagnosis of liver disease. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: Using highly controllable ex vivo rat liver phantoms, hepatic biophysical properties such as tissue-vascular structure, stiffness, and water diffusivity were investigated using multiparametric MRI including multifrequency magnetic resonance elastography (MRE) and diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI). Through elaborate tuning of the experimental conditions such as the static portal pressure, flow viscosity, amount and distribution of fluid content in the liver, we identified the contributions of the fluid component to the overall imaging-based biophysical properties of the liver. Our finding demonstrated the sensitivity of liver stiffness to the hepatic poroelastic properties, which may aid in the differential diagnosis of liver diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yasmine Safraou
- Department of Radiology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany
| | - Karolina Krehl
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, Institute of Animal Welfare, Animal Behavior and Laboratory Animal Science, Freie Universität Berlin
| | - Tom Meyer
- Department of Radiology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany
| | - Shahryari Mehrgan
- Department of Radiology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany
| | - Jakob Ernst Luis Jordan
- Department of Radiology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany
| | - Heiko Tzschätzsch
- Institute of Medical Informatics, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany
| | - Thomas Fischer
- Department of Radiology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany
| | - Patrick Asbach
- Department of Radiology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany
| | - Jürgen Braun
- Institute of Medical Informatics, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany
| | - Ingolf Sack
- Department of Radiology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany
| | - Jing Guo
- Department of Radiology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany.
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10
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Sauer F, Grosser S, Shahryari M, Hayn A, Guo J, Braun J, Briest S, Wolf B, Aktas B, Horn L, Sack I, Käs JA. Changes in Tissue Fluidity Predict Tumor Aggressiveness In Vivo. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2023; 10:e2303523. [PMID: 37553780 PMCID: PMC10502644 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202303523] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2023] [Indexed: 08/10/2023]
Abstract
Cancer progression is caused by genetic changes and associated with various alterations in cell properties, which also affect a tumor's mechanical state. While an increased stiffness has been well known for long for solid tumors, it has limited prognostic power. It is hypothesized that cancer progression is accompanied by tissue fluidization, where portions of the tissue can change position across different length scales. Supported by tabletop magnetic resonance elastography (MRE) on stroma mimicking collagen gels and microscopic analysis of live cells inside patient derived tumor explants, an overview is provided of how cancer associated mechanisms, including cellular unjamming, proliferation, microenvironment composition, and remodeling can alter a tissue's fluidity and stiffness. In vivo, state-of-the-art multifrequency MRE can distinguish tumors from their surrounding host tissue by their rheological fingerprints. Most importantly, a meta-analysis on the currently available clinical studies is conducted and universal trends are identified. The results and conclusions are condensed into a gedankenexperiment about how a tumor can grow and eventually metastasize into its environment from a physics perspective to deduce corresponding mechanical properties. Based on stiffness, fluidity, spatial heterogeneity, and texture of the tumor front a roadmap for a prognosis of a tumor's aggressiveness and metastatic potential is presented.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frank Sauer
- Soft Matter Physics DivisionPeter‐Debye‐Institute for Soft Matter Physics04103LeipzigGermany
| | - Steffen Grosser
- Soft Matter Physics DivisionPeter‐Debye‐Institute for Soft Matter Physics04103LeipzigGermany
- Institute for Bioengineering of CataloniaThe Barcelona Institute for Science and Technology (BIST)Barcelona08028Spain
| | - Mehrgan Shahryari
- Department of RadiologyCharité‐Universitätsmedizin10117BerlinGermany
| | - Alexander Hayn
- Department of HepatologyLeipzig University Hospital04103LeipzigGermany
| | - Jing Guo
- Department of RadiologyCharité‐Universitätsmedizin10117BerlinGermany
| | - Jürgen Braun
- Institute of Medical InformaticsCharité‐Universitätsmedizin10117BerlinGermany
| | - Susanne Briest
- Department of GynecologyLeipzig University Hospital04103LeipzigGermany
| | - Benjamin Wolf
- Department of GynecologyLeipzig University Hospital04103LeipzigGermany
| | - Bahriye Aktas
- Department of GynecologyLeipzig University Hospital04103LeipzigGermany
| | - Lars‐Christian Horn
- Division of Breast, Urogenital and Perinatal PathologyLeipzig University Hospital04103LeipzigGermany
| | - Ingolf Sack
- Department of RadiologyCharité‐Universitätsmedizin10117BerlinGermany
| | - Josef A. Käs
- Soft Matter Physics DivisionPeter‐Debye‐Institute for Soft Matter Physics04103LeipzigGermany
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11
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Carroll B, Thanh MTH, Patteson AE. Dynamic remodeling of fiber networks with stiff inclusions under compressive loading. Acta Biomater 2023; 163:106-116. [PMID: 36182057 PMCID: PMC10227767 DOI: 10.1016/j.actbio.2022.09.063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2022] [Revised: 09/19/2022] [Accepted: 09/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The ability of tissues to sustain and withstand mechanical stress is critical to tissue development and healthy tissue maintenance. The mechanical properties of tissues are typically considered to be dominated by the fibrous extracellular matrix (ECM) component of tissues. Fiber network mechanics can capture certain mechanical features of tissues, such as shear strain stiffening, but is insufficient in describing the compressive response of certain tissues and blood clots that are rich in extracellular matrix. To understand the mechanical response of tissues, we employ a contemporary mechanical model, a fibrous network of fibrin embedded with inert bead inclusions that preserve the volume-conserving constraints of cells in tissues. Combining bulk mechanical rheology and a custom imaging device, we show that the presence of inclusions alters the local dynamic remodeling of the networks undergoing uniaxial compressive strains and demonstrate non-affine correlated motion within a fiber-bead network, predicted to stretch fibers in the network and lead to the ability of the network to stiffen under compression, a key feature of real tissues. These findings have important implications for understanding how local structural properties of cells and ECM fibers impact the bulk mechanical response of real tissues. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: To understand why real tissue stiffens under compression, we study a model tissue system which also stiffens: a fibrin network embedded with stiff beads. We design a device that images compression of both fiber and fiber-bead networks. Distinct from previous imaging studies, this setup can dynamically capture network deformation on scales larger than single fibers. From the videos, we see fluid flow and network remodeling are both critical to compression behavior. The fiber-bead network has faster fluid flow, reduced network recovery, and correlated motion during network relaxation. We hypothesize that the beads hinder network relaxation of stretched fibers, thus retaining the applied stress and exhibiting stiffening. Our findings reveal important details for modeling tissue mechanics towards optimizing healthcare.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bobby Carroll
- Physics Department and BioInspired Institute, Syracuse University, Physics Building, Syracuse, NY 13244, USA
| | - Minh-Tri Ho Thanh
- Physics Department and BioInspired Institute, Syracuse University, Physics Building, Syracuse, NY 13244, USA
| | - Alison E Patteson
- Physics Department and BioInspired Institute, Syracuse University, Physics Building, Syracuse, NY 13244, USA.
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12
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Benoist F, Saggiorato G, Lenz M. Generic stress rectification in nonlinear elastic media. SOFT MATTER 2023; 19:2970-2976. [PMID: 37014008 PMCID: PMC10131159 DOI: 10.1039/d2sm01606k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
Stress propagation in nonlinear media is crucial in cell biology, where molecular motors exert anisotropic force dipoles on the fibrous cytoskeleton. While the force dipoles can be either contractile or expansile, a medium made of fibers which buckle under compression rectifies these stresses towards a biologically crucial contraction. A general understanding of this rectification phenomenon as a function of the medium's elasticity is however lacking. Here we use theoretical continuum elasticity to show that rectification is actually a very general effect in nonlinear materials subjected to anisotropic internal stresses. We analytically show that both bucklable and constitutively linear materials subjected to geometrical nonlinearities rectify small forces towards contraction, while granular-like materials rectify towards expansion. Using simulations, we moreover show that these results extend to larger forces. Beyond fiber networks, these results could shed light on the propagation of stresses in brittle or granular materials following a local plastic rearrangement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Félix Benoist
- Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, LPTMS, 91400, Orsay, France.
| | | | - Martin Lenz
- Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, LPTMS, 91400, Orsay, France.
- PMMH, CNRS, ESPCI Paris, PSL University, Sorbonne Université, Université de Paris, F-, 75005, Paris, France
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13
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Ferraro R, Guido S, Caserta S, Tassieri M. Compressional stress stiffening & softening of soft hydrogels - how to avoid artefacts in their rheological characterisation. SOFT MATTER 2023; 19:2053-2057. [PMID: 36866743 DOI: 10.1039/d3sm00077j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Hydrogels have been successfully employed as analogues of the extracellular matrix to study biological processes such as cells' migration, growth, adhesion and differentiation. These are governed by many factors, including the mechanical properties of hydrogels; yet, a one-to-one correlation between the viscoelastic properties of gels and cell fate is still missing from literature. In this work we provide experimental evidence supporting a possible explanation for the persistence of this knowledge gap. In particular, we have employed common tissues' surrogates such as polyacrylamide and agarose gels to elucidate a potential pitfall occurring when performing rheological characterisations of soft-materials. The issue is related to (i) the normal force applied to the samples prior to performing the rheological measurements, which may easily drive the outcomes of the investigation outside the materials' linear viscoelastic regime, especially when tests are performed with (ii) geometrical tools having unbefitting dimensions (i.e., too small). We corroborate that biomimetic hydrogels can show either compressional stress softening or stiffening, and we provide a simple solution to quench these undesired phenomena, which would likely lead to potentially misleading conclusions if they were not mitigated by a good practice in performing rheological measurements, as elucidated in this work.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosalia Ferraro
- DICMaPI, The University of Naples Federico II, P.le V. Tecchio 80, 80125 Naples, Italy
- CEINGE Advanced Biotechnologies Franco Salvatore, Via Gaetano Salvatore, 486, 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Stefano Guido
- DICMaPI, The University of Naples Federico II, P.le V. Tecchio 80, 80125 Naples, Italy
- CEINGE Advanced Biotechnologies Franco Salvatore, Via Gaetano Salvatore, 486, 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Sergio Caserta
- DICMaPI, The University of Naples Federico II, P.le V. Tecchio 80, 80125 Naples, Italy
- CEINGE Advanced Biotechnologies Franco Salvatore, Via Gaetano Salvatore, 486, 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Manlio Tassieri
- Division of Biomedical Engineering, James Watt School of Engineering, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G12 8LT, UK.
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14
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Chen S, Markovich T, MacKintosh FC. Nonaffine Deformation of Semiflexible Polymer and Fiber Networks. PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS 2023; 130:088101. [PMID: 36898114 DOI: 10.1103/physrevlett.130.088101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2022] [Accepted: 01/18/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Networks of semiflexible or stiff polymers such as most biopolymers are known to deform inhomogeneously when sheared. The effects of such nonaffine deformation have been shown to be much stronger than for flexible polymers. To date, our understanding of nonaffinity in such systems is limited to simulations or specific 2D models of athermal fibers. Here, we present an effective medium theory for nonaffine deformation of semiflexible polymer and fiber networks, which is general to both 2D and 3D and in both thermal and athermal limits. The predictions of this model are in good agreement with both prior computational and experimental results for linear elasticity. Moreover, the framework we introduce can be extended to address nonlinear elasticity and network dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sihan Chen
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77005, USA
- Center for Theoretical Biological Physics, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77005, USA
| | - Tomer Markovich
- Center for Theoretical Biological Physics, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77005, USA
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
- Center for Physics and Chemistry of Living Systems, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
| | - Fred C MacKintosh
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77005, USA
- Center for Theoretical Biological Physics, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77005, USA
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77005, USA
- Department of Chemistry, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77005, USA
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15
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Song D, Oberai AA, Janmey PA. Hyperelastic continuum models for isotropic athermal fibrous networks. Interface Focus 2022; 12:20220043. [PMID: 36330327 PMCID: PMC9560787 DOI: 10.1098/rsfs.2022.0043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2022] [Accepted: 09/05/2022] [Indexed: 10/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Many biological materials contain fibrous protein networks as their main structural components. Understanding the mechanical properties of such networks is important for creating biomimicking materials for cell and tissue engineering, and for developing novel tools for detecting and diagnosing disease. In this work, we develop continuum models for isotropic, athermal fibrous networks by combining a single-fibre model that describes the axial response of individual fibres, with network models that assemble individual fibre properties into overall network behaviour. In particular, we consider four different network models, including the affine, three-chain, eight-chain, and micro-sphere models, which employ different assumptions about network structure and kinematics. We systematically investigate the ability of these models to describe the mechanical response of athermal collagen and fibrin networks by comparing model predictions with experimental data. We test how each model captures network behaviour under three different loading conditions: uniaxial tension, simple shear, and combined tension and shear. We find that the affine and three-chain models can accurately describe both the axial and shear behaviour, whereas the eight-chain and micro-sphere models fail to capture the shear response, leading to unphysical zero shear moduli at infinitesimal strains. Our study is the first to systematically investigate the applicability of popular network models for describing the macroscopic behaviour of athermal fibrous networks, offering insights for selecting efficient models that can be used for large-scale, finite-element simulations of athermal networks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dawei Song
- Institute for Medicine and Engineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Department of Physiology, and Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Assad A. Oberai
- Department of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Paul A. Janmey
- Institute for Medicine and Engineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Department of Physiology, and Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
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16
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Arzash S, Sharma A, MacKintosh FC. Mechanics of fiber networks under a bulk strain. Phys Rev E 2022; 106:L062403. [PMID: 36671162 DOI: 10.1103/physreve.106.l062403] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2022] [Accepted: 12/01/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Biopolymer networks are common in biological systems from the cytoskeleton of individual cells to collagen in the extracellular matrix. The mechanics of these systems under applied strain can be explained in some cases by a phase transition from soft to rigid states. For collagen networks, it has been shown that this transition is critical in nature and it is predicted to exhibit diverging fluctuations near a critical strain that depends on the network's connectivity and structure. Whereas prior work focused mostly on shear deformation that is more accessible experimentally, here we study the mechanics of such networks under an applied bulk or isotropic extension. We confirm that the bulk modulus of subisostatic fiber networks exhibits similar critical behavior as a function of bulk strain. We find different nonmean-field exponents for bulk as opposed to shear. We also confirm a similar hyperscaling relation to what was previously found for shear.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sadjad Arzash
- Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77005, USA
- Center for Theoretical Biological Physics, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77030, USA
| | - Abhinav Sharma
- Leibniz-Institut für Polymerforschung Dresden, Institut Theorie der Polymere, 01069 Dresden, Germany
| | - Fred C MacKintosh
- Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77005, USA
- Center for Theoretical Biological Physics, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77030, USA
- Department of Chemistry, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77005, USA
- Department of Physics & Astronomy, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77005, USA
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17
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Łysik D, Deptuła P, Chmielewska S, Skłodowski K, Pogoda K, Chin L, Song D, Mystkowska J, Janmey PA, Bucki R. Modulation of Biofilm Mechanics by DNA Structure and Cell Type. ACS Biomater Sci Eng 2022; 8:4921-4929. [PMID: 36301743 PMCID: PMC9667457 DOI: 10.1021/acsbiomaterials.2c00777] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
![]()
Deoxyribonucleic
acid (DNA) evolved as a tool for storing and transmitting
genetic information within cells, but outside the cell, DNA can also
serve as “construction material” present in microbial
biofilms or various body fluids, such as cystic fibrosis, sputum,
and pus. In the present work, we investigate the mechanics of biofilms
formed from Pseudomonas aeruginosa Xen
5, Staphylococcus aureus Xen 30, and Candida albicans 1408 using oscillatory shear rheometry
at different levels of compression and recreate these mechanics in
systems of entangled DNA and cells. The results show that the compression-stiffening
and shear-softening effects observed in biofilms can be reproduced
in DNA networks with the addition of an appropriate number of microbial
cells. Additionally, we observe that these effects are cell-type dependent.
We also identify other mechanisms that may significantly impact the
viscoelastic behavior of biofilms, such as the compression-stiffening
effect of DNA cross-linking by bivalent cations (Mg2+,
Ca2+, and Cu2+) and the stiffness-increasing
interactions of P. aeruginosa Xen 5
biofilm with Pf1 bacteriophage produced by P. aeruginosa. This work extends the knowledge of biofilm mechanobiology and demonstrates
the possibility of modifying biopolymers toward obtaining the desired
biophysical properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dawid Łysik
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Bialystok University of Technology, 15-351 Bialystok, Poland
| | - Piotr Deptuła
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Nanobiomedical Engineering, Medical University of Bialystok, 15-222 Bialystok, Poland
| | - Sylwia Chmielewska
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Nanobiomedical Engineering, Medical University of Bialystok, 15-222 Bialystok, Poland
| | - Karol Skłodowski
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Nanobiomedical Engineering, Medical University of Bialystok, 15-222 Bialystok, Poland
| | - Katarzyna Pogoda
- Institute of Nuclear Physics, Polish Academy of Sciences, 31-342 Krakow, Poland
| | - LiKang Chin
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Widener University, Chester, Pennsylvania 19087, United States
| | - Dawei Song
- Institute for Medicine and Engineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, United States
| | - Joanna Mystkowska
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Bialystok University of Technology, 15-351 Bialystok, Poland
| | - Paul A. Janmey
- Institute for Medicine and Engineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, United States
| | - Robert Bucki
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Nanobiomedical Engineering, Medical University of Bialystok, 15-222 Bialystok, Poland
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18
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Kraus EA, Mellenthin LE, Siwiecki SA, Song D, Yan J, Janmey PA, Sweeney AM. Rheology of marine sponges reveals anisotropic mechanics and tuned dynamics. J R Soc Interface 2022; 19:20220476. [PMID: 36259170 PMCID: PMC9579767 DOI: 10.1098/rsif.2022.0476] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2022] [Accepted: 09/22/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Sponges are animals that inhabit many aquatic environments while filtering small particles and ejecting metabolic wastes. They are composed of cells in a bulk extracellular matrix, often with an embedded scaffolding of stiff, siliceous spicules. We hypothesize that the mechanical response of this heterogeneous tissue to hydrodynamic flow influences cell proliferation in a manner that generates the body of a sponge. Towards a more complete picture of the emergence of sponge morphology, we dissected a set of species and subjected discs of living tissue to physiological shear and uniaxial deformations on a rheometer. Various species exhibited rheological properties such as anisotropic elasticity, shear softening and compression stiffening, negative normal stress, and non-monotonic dissipation as a function of both shear strain and frequency. Erect sponges possessed aligned, spicule-reinforced fibres which endowed three times greater stiffness axially compared with orthogonally. By contrast, tissue taken from shorter sponges was more isotropic but time-dependent, suggesting higher flow sensitivity in these compared with erect forms. We explore ecological and physiological implications of our results and speculate about flow-induced mechanical signalling in sponge cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emile A. Kraus
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Lauren E. Mellenthin
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Sara A. Siwiecki
- Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Dawei Song
- Institute for Medicine and Engineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Department of Physiology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Jing Yan
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
- Quantitative Biology Institute, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Paul A. Janmey
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Institute for Medicine and Engineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Department of Physiology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Alison M. Sweeney
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
- Quantitative Biology Institute, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
- Department of Physics, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
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19
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Pogoda K, Byfield F, Deptuła P, Cieśluk M, Suprewicz Ł, Skłodowski K, Shivers JL, van Oosten A, Cruz K, Tarasovetc E, Grishchuk EL, Mackintosh FC, Bucki R, Patteson AE, Janmey PA. Unique Role of Vimentin Networks in Compression Stiffening of Cells and Protection of Nuclei from Compressive Stress. NANO LETTERS 2022; 22:4725-4732. [PMID: 35678828 PMCID: PMC9228066 DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.2c00736] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2022] [Revised: 06/01/2022] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
In this work, we investigate whether stiffening in compression is a feature of single cells and whether the intracellular polymer networks that comprise the cytoskeleton (all of which stiffen with increasing shear strain) stiffen or soften when subjected to compressive strains. We find that individual cells, such as fibroblasts, stiffen at physiologically relevant compressive strains, but genetic ablation of vimentin diminishes this effect. Further, we show that unlike networks of purified F-actin or microtubules, which soften in compression, vimentin intermediate filament networks stiffen in both compression and extension, and we present a theoretical model to explain this response based on the flexibility of vimentin filaments and their surface charge, which resists volume changes of the network under compression. These results provide a new framework by which to understand the mechanical responses of cells and point to a central role of intermediate filaments in response to compression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katarzyna Pogoda
- Institute
of Nuclear Physics Polish Academy of Sciences, Krakow PL-31-342, Poland
| | - Fitzroy Byfield
- Department
of Physiology, and Institute for Medicine and Engineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104-6383, United States
| | - Piotr Deptuła
- Department
of Medical Microbiology and Nanobiomedical Engineering, Medical University of Bialystok, PL-15222 Bialystok, Poland
| | - Mateusz Cieśluk
- Department
of Medical Microbiology and Nanobiomedical Engineering, Medical University of Bialystok, PL-15222 Bialystok, Poland
| | - Łukasz Suprewicz
- Department
of Medical Microbiology and Nanobiomedical Engineering, Medical University of Bialystok, PL-15222 Bialystok, Poland
| | - Karol Skłodowski
- Department
of Medical Microbiology and Nanobiomedical Engineering, Medical University of Bialystok, PL-15222 Bialystok, Poland
| | - Jordan L. Shivers
- Department
of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77005, United States
- Center
for Theoretical Biological Physics, Rice
University, Houston, Texas 77030, United
States
| | - Anne van Oosten
- Department
of Physiology, and Institute for Medicine and Engineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104-6383, United States
| | - Katrina Cruz
- Department
of Physiology, and Institute for Medicine and Engineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104-6383, United States
| | - Ekaterina Tarasovetc
- Department
of Physiology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104-6383, United States
| | - Ekaterina L. Grishchuk
- Department
of Physiology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104-6383, United States
| | - Fred C. Mackintosh
- Department
of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77005, United States
- Center
for Theoretical Biological Physics, Rice
University, Houston, Texas 77030, United
States
- Departments
of Chemistry and Physics and Astronomy, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77005, United States
| | - Robert Bucki
- Department
of Medical Microbiology and Nanobiomedical Engineering, Medical University of Bialystok, PL-15222 Bialystok, Poland
| | - Alison E. Patteson
- Department
of Physics and BioInspired Institute, Syracuse
University, Syracuse, New York 13210, United States
| | - Paul A. Janmey
- Department
of Physiology, and Institute for Medicine and Engineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104-6383, United States
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20
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Tauber J, van der Gucht J, Dussi S. Stretchy and disordered: Toward understanding fracture in soft network materials via mesoscopic computer simulations. J Chem Phys 2022; 156:160901. [PMID: 35490006 DOI: 10.1063/5.0081316] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Soft network materials exist in numerous forms ranging from polymer networks, such as elastomers, to fiber networks, such as collagen. In addition, in colloidal gels, an underlying network structure can be identified, and several metamaterials and textiles can be considered network materials as well. Many of these materials share a highly disordered microstructure and can undergo large deformations before damage becomes visible at the macroscopic level. Despite their widespread presence, we still lack a clear picture of how the network structure controls the fracture processes of these soft materials. In this Perspective, we will focus on progress and open questions concerning fracture at the mesoscopic scale, in which the network architecture is clearly resolved, but neither the material-specific atomistic features nor the macroscopic sample geometries are considered. We will describe concepts regarding the network elastic response that have been established in recent years and turn out to be pre-requisites to understand the fracture response. We will mostly consider simulation studies, where the influence of specific network features on the material mechanics can be cleanly assessed. Rather than focusing on specific systems, we will discuss future challenges that should be addressed to gain new fundamental insights that would be relevant across several examples of soft network materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justin Tauber
- Physical Chemistry and Soft Matter, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Jasper van der Gucht
- Physical Chemistry and Soft Matter, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Simone Dussi
- Physical Chemistry and Soft Matter, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands
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21
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Patteson AE, Asp ME, Janmey PA. Materials science and mechanosensitivity of living matter. APPLIED PHYSICS REVIEWS 2022; 9:011320. [PMID: 35392267 PMCID: PMC8969880 DOI: 10.1063/5.0071648] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2021] [Accepted: 02/08/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Living systems are composed of molecules that are synthesized by cells that use energy sources within their surroundings to create fascinating materials that have mechanical properties optimized for their biological function. Their functionality is a ubiquitous aspect of our lives. We use wood to construct furniture, bacterial colonies to modify the texture of dairy products and other foods, intestines as violin strings, bladders in bagpipes, and so on. The mechanical properties of these biological materials differ from those of other simpler synthetic elastomers, glasses, and crystals. Reproducing their mechanical properties synthetically or from first principles is still often unattainable. The challenge is that biomaterials often exist far from equilibrium, either in a kinetically arrested state or in an energy consuming active state that is not yet possible to reproduce de novo. Also, the design principles that form biological materials often result in nonlinear responses of stress to strain, or force to displacement, and theoretical models to explain these nonlinear effects are in relatively early stages of development compared to the predictive models for rubberlike elastomers or metals. In this Review, we summarize some of the most common and striking mechanical features of biological materials and make comparisons among animal, plant, fungal, and bacterial systems. We also summarize some of the mechanisms by which living systems develop forces that shape biological matter and examine newly discovered mechanisms by which cells sense and respond to the forces they generate themselves, which are resisted by their environment, or that are exerted upon them by their environment. Within this framework, we discuss examples of how physical methods are being applied to cell biology and bioengineering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alison E. Patteson
- Physics Department and BioInspired Institute, Syracuse University, Syracuse NY, 13244, USA
| | - Merrill E. Asp
- Physics Department and BioInspired Institute, Syracuse University, Syracuse NY, 13244, USA
| | - Paul A. Janmey
- Institute for Medicine and Engineering and Departments of Physiology and Physics & Astronomy, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia PA, 19104, USA
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22
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Astral hydrogels mimic tissue mechanics by aster-aster interpenetration. Nat Commun 2021; 12:4277. [PMID: 34257316 PMCID: PMC8277779 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-24663-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2020] [Accepted: 06/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Many soft tissues are compression-stiffening and extension-softening in response to axial strains, but common hydrogels are either inert (for ideal chains) or tissue-opposite (for semiflexible polymers). Herein, we report a class of astral hydrogels that are structurally distinct from tissues but mechanically tissue-like. Specifically, hierarchical self-assembly of amphiphilic gemini molecules produces radial asters with a common core and divergently growing, semiflexible ribbons; adjacent asters moderately interpenetrate each other via interlacement of their peripheral ribbons to form a gel network. Resembling tissues, the astral gels stiffen in compression and soften in extension with all the experimental data across different gel compositions collapsing onto a single master curve. We put forward a minimal model to reproduce the master curve quantitatively, underlying the determinant role of aster-aster interpenetration. Compression significantly expands the interpenetration region, during which the number of effective crosslinks is increased and the network strengthened, while extension does the opposite. Looking forward, we expect this unique mechanism of interpenetration to provide a fresh perspective for designing and constructing mechanically tissue-like materials.
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23
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Strom AR, Biggs RJ, Banigan EJ, Wang X, Chiu K, Herman C, Collado J, Yue F, Ritland Politz JC, Tait LJ, Scalzo D, Telling A, Groudine M, Brangwynne CP, Marko JF, Stephens AD. HP1α is a chromatin crosslinker that controls nuclear and mitotic chromosome mechanics. eLife 2021; 10:e63972. [PMID: 34106828 PMCID: PMC8233041 DOI: 10.7554/elife.63972] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2020] [Accepted: 06/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Chromatin, which consists of DNA and associated proteins, contains genetic information and is a mechanical component of the nucleus. Heterochromatic histone methylation controls nucleus and chromosome stiffness, but the contribution of heterochromatin protein HP1α (CBX5) is unknown. We used a novel HP1α auxin-inducible degron human cell line to rapidly degrade HP1α. Degradation did not alter transcription, local chromatin compaction, or histone methylation, but did decrease chromatin stiffness. Single-nucleus micromanipulation reveals that HP1α is essential to chromatin-based mechanics and maintains nuclear morphology, separate from histone methylation. Further experiments with dimerization-deficient HP1αI165E indicate that chromatin crosslinking via HP1α dimerization is critical, while polymer simulations demonstrate the importance of chromatin-chromatin crosslinkers in mechanics. In mitotic chromosomes, HP1α similarly bolsters stiffness while aiding in mitotic alignment and faithful segregation. HP1α is therefore a critical chromatin-crosslinking protein that provides mechanical strength to chromosomes and the nucleus throughout the cell cycle and supports cellular functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy R Strom
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Princeton UniversityPrincetonUnited States
| | - Ronald J Biggs
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, Northwestern UniversityEvanstonUnited States
| | - Edward J Banigan
- Institute for Medical Engineering and Science and Department of Physics, Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyCambridgeUnited States
| | - Xiaotao Wang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern UniversityChicagoUnited States
| | - Katherine Chiu
- Biology Department, University of Massachusetts AmherstAmherstUnited States
| | - Cameron Herman
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, Northwestern UniversityEvanstonUnited States
| | - Jimena Collado
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, Northwestern UniversityEvanstonUnited States
| | - Feng Yue
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern UniversityChicagoUnited States
- Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern UniversityChicagoUnited States
| | | | - Leah J Tait
- The Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research CenterSeattleUnited States
| | - David Scalzo
- The Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research CenterSeattleUnited States
| | - Agnes Telling
- The Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research CenterSeattleUnited States
| | - Mark Groudine
- The Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research CenterSeattleUnited States
| | - Clifford P Brangwynne
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Princeton UniversityPrincetonUnited States
| | - John F Marko
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, Northwestern UniversityEvanstonUnited States
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Northwestern UniversityEvanstonUnited States
| | - Andrew D Stephens
- Biology Department, University of Massachusetts AmherstAmherstUnited States
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