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Ohnsorg ML, Mash KM, Khang A, Rao VV, Kirkpatrick BE, Bera K, Anseth KS. Nonlinear Elastic Bottlebrush Polymer Hydrogels Modulate Actomyosin Mediated Protrusion Formation in Mesenchymal Stromal Cells. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2024; 36:e2403198. [PMID: 38655776 PMCID: PMC11239315 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202403198] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2024] [Revised: 04/19/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
The nonlinear elasticity of many tissue-specific extracellular matrices is difficult to recapitulate without the use of fibrous architectures, which couple strain-stiffening with stress relaxation. Herein, bottlebrush polymers are synthesized and crosslinked to form poly(ethylene glycol)-based hydrogels and used to study how strain-stiffening behavior affects human mesenchymal stromal cells (hMSCs). By tailoring the bottlebrush polymer length, the critical stress associated with the onset of network stiffening is systematically varied, and a unique protrusion-rich hMSC morphology emerges only at critical stresses within a biologically accessible stress regime. Local cell-matrix interactions are quantified using 3D traction force microscopy and small molecule inhibitors are used to identify cellular machinery that plays a critical role in hMSC mechanosensing of the engineered, strain-stiffening microenvironment. Collectively, this study demonstrates how covalently crosslinked bottlebrush polymer hydrogels can recapitulate strain-stiffening biomechanical cues at biologically relevant stresses and be used to probe how nonlinear elastic matrix properties regulate cellular processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monica L. Ohnsorg
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80308, USA
- BioFrontiers Institute, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80308, USA
| | - Kayla M. Mash
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80308, USA
| | - Alex Khang
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80308, USA
- BioFrontiers Institute, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80308, USA
| | - Varsha V. Rao
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80308, USA
- BioFrontiers Institute, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80308, USA
| | - Bruce E. Kirkpatrick
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80308, USA
- BioFrontiers Institute, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80308, USA
- Medical Scientist Training Program, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | - Kaustav Bera
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80308, USA
- BioFrontiers Institute, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80308, USA
| | - Kristi S. Anseth
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80308, USA
- BioFrontiers Institute, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80308, USA
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2
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Goren S, Ergaz B, Barak D, Sorkin R, Lesman A. Micro-tensile rheology of fibrous gels quantifies strain-dependent anisotropy. Acta Biomater 2024; 181:272-281. [PMID: 38685460 DOI: 10.1016/j.actbio.2024.03.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2023] [Revised: 03/03/2024] [Accepted: 03/27/2024] [Indexed: 05/02/2024]
Abstract
Semiflexible fiber gels such as collagen and fibrin have unique nonlinear mechanical properties that play an important role in tissue morphogenesis, wound healing, and cancer metastasis. Optical tweezers microrheology has greatly contributed to the understanding of the mechanics of fibrous gels at the microscale, including its heterogeneity and anisotropy. However, the explicit relationship between micromechanical properties and gel deformation has been largely overlooked. We introduce a unique gel-stretching apparatus and employ it to study the relationship between microscale strain and stiffening in fibrin and collagen gels, focusing on the development of anisotropy in the gel. We find that gels stretched by as much as 15 % stiffen significantly both in parallel and perpendicular to the stretching axis, and that the parallel axis is 2-3 times stiffer than the transverse axis. We also measure the stiffening and anisotropy along bands of aligned fibers created by aggregates of cancer cells, and find similar effects as in gels stretched with the tensile apparatus. Our results illustrate that the extracellular microenvironment is highly sensitive to deformation, with implications for tissue homeostasis and pathology. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: The inherent fibrous architecture of the extracellular matrix (ECM) gives rise to unique strain-stiffening mechanics. The micromechanics of fibrous networks has been studied extensively, but the deformations involved in its stiffening at the microscale were not quantified. Here we introduce an apparatus that enables measuring the deformations in the gel as it is being stretched while simultaneously using optical tweezers to measure its microscale anisotropic stiffness. We reveal that fibrin and collagen both stiffen dramatically already at ∼10 % deformation, accompanied by the emergence of significant, yet moderate anisotropy. We measure similar stiffening and anisotropy in the matrix remodeled by the tensile apparatus to those found between cancer cell aggregates. Our results emphasize that small strains are enough to introduce substantial stiffening and anisotropy. These have been shown to result in directional cell migration and enhanced force propagation, and possibly control processes like morphogenesis and cancer metastasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shahar Goren
- School of Chemistry, Raymond & Beverly Sackler Faculty of Exact Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Israel; School of Mechanical Engineering, the Iby and Aladar Fleischman Faculty of Engineering, Tel Aviv University, Israel; Center for Physics and Chemistry of Living Systems, Tel Aviv University, Israel
| | - Bar Ergaz
- School of Mechanical Engineering, the Iby and Aladar Fleischman Faculty of Engineering, Tel Aviv University, Israel; Center for Physics and Chemistry of Living Systems, Tel Aviv University, Israel
| | - Daniel Barak
- School of Mechanical Engineering, the Iby and Aladar Fleischman Faculty of Engineering, Tel Aviv University, Israel
| | - Raya Sorkin
- School of Chemistry, Raymond & Beverly Sackler Faculty of Exact Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Israel; Center for Physics and Chemistry of Living Systems, Tel Aviv University, Israel.
| | - Ayelet Lesman
- School of Mechanical Engineering, the Iby and Aladar Fleischman Faculty of Engineering, Tel Aviv University, Israel; Center for Physics and Chemistry of Living Systems, Tel Aviv University, Israel.
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3
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Wang Z, Li W, Fan Y, Xiao C, Shi Z, Chang Y, Liang G, Liu C, Zhu Z, Yu P, Yang X, Song Z, Ning C. Localized Surface Plasmon Resonance-Enhanced Photocatalytic Antibacterial of In Situ Sprayed 0D/2D Heterojunction Composite Hydrogel for Treating Diabetic Wound. Adv Healthc Mater 2024:e2303836. [PMID: 38507269 DOI: 10.1002/adhm.202303836] [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: 11/05/2023] [Revised: 03/08/2024] [Indexed: 03/22/2024]
Abstract
Chronic diabetic wounds pose significant challenges due to uncontrolled bacterial infections, prolonged inflammation, and impaired angiogenesis. The rapid advancement of photo-responsive antibacterial therapy shows promise in addressing these complex issues, particularly utilizing 2D heterojunction materials, which offer unique properties. Herein, an in situ sprayed Bi/BiOCl 0D/2D heterojunction composite fibrin gel with the characteristics of rapid formation and effective near-infrared activation is designed for the treatment of non-healing diabetes-infected wounds. The sprayed composite gel can provide protective shielding for skin tissues and promote endothelial cell proliferation, vascularization, and angiogenesis. The Bi/BiOCl 0D/2D heterojunction, with its localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR), can overcome the wide bandgap limitation of BiOCl, enhancing the generation of local heat and reactive oxygen species under near-infrared irradiation. This facilitates bacterial elimination and reduced inflammation, supporting the accelerated healing of diabetes-infected wounds. This study underscores the potential of LSPR-enhanced heterojunctions as advanced wound therapies for chronic diabetic wounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhengao Wang
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, P. R. China
- National Engineering Research Center for Tissue Restoration and Reconstruction, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, P. R. China
| | - Wei Li
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, P. R. China
- National Engineering Research Center for Tissue Restoration and Reconstruction, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, P. R. China
| | - Youzhun Fan
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, P. R. China
- National Engineering Research Center for Tissue Restoration and Reconstruction, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, P. R. China
| | - Cairong Xiao
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, P. R. China
- National Engineering Research Center for Tissue Restoration and Reconstruction, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, P. R. China
| | - Zhifeng Shi
- National Engineering Research Center for Tissue Restoration and Reconstruction, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, P. R. China
| | - Yunbing Chang
- Department of Orthopedics, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital, Guangzhou, 510080, P.R. China
| | - Guoyan Liang
- Department of Orthopedics, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital, Guangzhou, 510080, P.R. China
| | - Chengli Liu
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, P. R. China
- National Engineering Research Center for Tissue Restoration and Reconstruction, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, P. R. China
| | - Zurong Zhu
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, P. R. China
- National Engineering Research Center for Tissue Restoration and Reconstruction, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, P. R. China
| | - Peng Yu
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, P. R. China
- National Engineering Research Center for Tissue Restoration and Reconstruction, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, P. R. China
| | - Xuebin Yang
- Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering Group, School of Dentistry, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS97TF, UK
| | - Zhiguo Song
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, 650093, P.R. China
| | - Chengyun Ning
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, P. R. China
- National Engineering Research Center for Tissue Restoration and Reconstruction, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, P. R. China
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4
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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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5
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Smith AM, Inocencio DG, Pardi BM, Gopinath A, Andresen Eguiluz RC. Facile Determination of the Poisson's Ratio and Young's Modulus of Polyacrylamide Gels and Polydimethylsiloxane. ACS APPLIED POLYMER MATERIALS 2024; 6:2405-2416. [PMID: 38420286 PMCID: PMC10897882 DOI: 10.1021/acsapm.3c03154] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2023] [Revised: 01/13/2024] [Accepted: 01/16/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024]
Abstract
Polyacrylamide hydrogels (PAH gel) and polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS, an elastomer) are two soft materials often used in cell mechanics and mechanobiology, in manufacturing lab-on-a-chip applications, among others. This is partly due to the ability to tune their elasticity with ease in addition to various chemical modifications. For affine polymeric networks, two (of three) elastic constants, Young's modulus (E), the shear modulus (G), and Poisson's ratio (ν), describe the purely elastic response to external forces. However, the literature addressing the experimental determination of ν for PAH (sometimes called PAA gels in the literature) and the PDMS elastomer is surprisingly limited when compared to the literature that reports values of the elastic moduli, E and G. Here, we present a facile method to obtain the Poisson's ratio and Young's modulus for PAH gel and PDMS elastomer based on static tensile tests. The value of ν obtained from the deformation of the sample is compared to the value determined by comparing E and G via a second independent method that utilizes small amplitude shear rheology. We show that the Poisson's ratio may vary significantly from the value for incompressible materials (ν = 0.5), often assumed in the literature even for soft compressible hydrogels. Surprisingly, we find a high degree of agreement between elastic constants obtained by shear rheology and macroscopic static tension test data for polyacrylamide hydrogels but not for elastomeric PDMS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ariell Marie Smith
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, School of Engineering, University of California, Merced, 5200 North Lake Road, Merced, California 95344, United States
| | - Dominique Gabriele Inocencio
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, School of Engineering, University of California, Merced, 5200 North Lake Road, Merced, California 95344, United States
| | - Brandon Michael Pardi
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, School of Engineering, University of California, Merced, 5200 North Lake Road, Merced, California 95344, United States
| | - Arvind Gopinath
- Department of Bioengineering, School of Engineering, University of California, Merced, 5200 North Lake Road, Merced, California 95344, United States
- Health Sciences Research Institute, University of California Merced, Merced, 5200 North Lake Road, Merced, California 95344, United States
| | - Roberto Carlos Andresen Eguiluz
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, School of Engineering, University of California, Merced, 5200 North Lake Road, Merced, California 95344, United States
- Health Sciences Research Institute, University of California Merced, Merced, 5200 North Lake Road, Merced, California 95344, United States
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6
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Ergaz B, Goren S, Lesman A. Micropatterning the organization of multicellular structures in 3D biological hydrogels; insights into collective cellular mechanical interactions. Biofabrication 2023; 16:015012. [PMID: 37906963 DOI: 10.1088/1758-5090/ad0849] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2022] [Accepted: 10/31/2023] [Indexed: 11/02/2023]
Abstract
Control over the organization of cells at the microscale level within supporting biomaterials can push forward the construction of complex tissue architectures for tissue engineering applications and enable fundamental studies of how tissue structure relates to its function. While cells patterning on 2D substrates is a relatively established and available procedure, micropatterning cells in biomimetic 3D hydrogels has been more challenging, especially with micro-scale resolution, and currently relies on sophisticated tools and protocols. We present a robust and accessible 'peel-off' method to micropattern large arrays of individual cells or cell-clusters of precise sizes in biological 3D hydrogels, such as fibrin and collagen gels, with control over cell-cell separation distance and neighboring cells position. We further demonstrate partial control over cell position in thez-dimension by stacking two layers in varying distances between the layers. To demonstrate the potential of the micropatterning gel platform, we study the matrix-mediated mechanical interaction between array of cells that are accurately separated in defined distances. A collective process of intense cell-generated densified bands emerging in the gel between near neighbors was identified, along which cells preferentially migrate, a process relevant to tissue morphogenesis. The presented 3D gel micropatterning method can be used to reveal fundamental morphogenetic processes, and to reconstruct any tissue geometry with micrometer resolution in 3D biomimetic gel environments, leveraging the engineering of tissues in complex architectures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bar Ergaz
- School of Mechanical Engineering, The Iby and Aladar Fleischman Faculty of Engineering, Tel Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel
| | - Shahar Goren
- School of Chemistry, Raymond & Beverly Sackler Faculty of Exact Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel
- Center for Chemistry and Physics of Living Systems, Tel Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel
| | - Ayelet Lesman
- School of Mechanical Engineering, The Iby and Aladar Fleischman Faculty of Engineering, Tel Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel
- Center for Chemistry and Physics of Living Systems, Tel Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel
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7
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Bril M, Saberi A, Jorba I, van Turnhout MC, Sahlgren CM, Bouten CV, Schenning AP, Kurniawan NA. Shape-Morphing Photoresponsive Hydrogels Reveal Dynamic Topographical Conditioning of Fibroblasts. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2023; 10:e2303136. [PMID: 37740666 PMCID: PMC10625123 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202303136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2023] [Revised: 08/22/2023] [Indexed: 09/25/2023]
Abstract
The extracellular environment defines a physical boundary condition with which cells interact. However, to date, cell response to geometrical environmental cues is largely studied in static settings, which fails to capture the spatiotemporally varying cues cells receive in native tissues. Here, a photoresponsive spiropyran-based hydrogel is presented as a dynamic, cell-compatible, and reconfigurable substrate. Local stimulation with blue light (455 nm) alters hydrogel swelling, resulting in on-demand reversible micrometer-scale changes in surface topography within 15 min, allowing investigation into cell response to controlled geometry actuations. At short term (1 h after actuation), fibroblasts respond to multiple rounds of recurring topographical changes by reorganizing their nucleus and focal adhesions (FA). FAs form primarily at the dynamic regions of the hydrogel; however, this propensity is abolished when the topography is reconfigured from grooves to pits, demonstrating that topographical changes dynamically condition fibroblasts. Further, this dynamic conditioning is found to be associated with long-term (72 h) maintenance of focal adhesions and epigenetic modifications. Overall, this study offers a new approach to dissect the dynamic interplay between cells and their microenvironment and shines a new light on the cell's ability to adapt to topographical changes through FA-based mechanotransduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maaike Bril
- Department of Biomedical EngineeringEindhoven University of TechnologyEindhoven5600 MBThe Netherlands
- Institute for Complex Molecular SystemsEindhoven University of TechnologyEindhoven5600 MBThe Netherlands
| | - Aref Saberi
- Department of Biomedical EngineeringEindhoven University of TechnologyEindhoven5600 MBThe Netherlands
- Institute for Complex Molecular SystemsEindhoven University of TechnologyEindhoven5600 MBThe Netherlands
| | - Ignasi Jorba
- Department of Biomedical EngineeringEindhoven University of TechnologyEindhoven5600 MBThe Netherlands
- Institute for Complex Molecular SystemsEindhoven University of TechnologyEindhoven5600 MBThe Netherlands
| | - Mark C. van Turnhout
- Department of Biomedical EngineeringEindhoven University of TechnologyEindhoven5600 MBThe Netherlands
| | - Cecilia M. Sahlgren
- Department of Biomedical EngineeringEindhoven University of TechnologyEindhoven5600 MBThe Netherlands
- Institute for Complex Molecular SystemsEindhoven University of TechnologyEindhoven5600 MBThe Netherlands
- Faculty of Science and EngineeringÅbo Akademi UniversityTurkuFI‐20520Finland
| | - Carlijn V.C. Bouten
- Department of Biomedical EngineeringEindhoven University of TechnologyEindhoven5600 MBThe Netherlands
- Institute for Complex Molecular SystemsEindhoven University of TechnologyEindhoven5600 MBThe Netherlands
| | - Albert P.H.J. Schenning
- Institute for Complex Molecular SystemsEindhoven University of TechnologyEindhoven5600 MBThe Netherlands
- Department of Chemical Engineering & ChemistryEindhoven University of TechnologyEindhoven5612 AEThe Netherlands
| | - Nicholas A. Kurniawan
- Department of Biomedical EngineeringEindhoven University of TechnologyEindhoven5600 MBThe Netherlands
- Institute for Complex Molecular SystemsEindhoven University of TechnologyEindhoven5600 MBThe Netherlands
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Nahum A, Koren Y, Ergaz B, Natan S, Miller G, Tamir Y, Goren S, Kolel A, Jagadeeshan S, Elkabets M, Lesman A, Zaritsky A. Inference of long-range cell-cell force transmission from ECM remodeling fluctuations. Commun Biol 2023; 6:811. [PMID: 37537232 PMCID: PMC10400639 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-023-05179-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2023] [Accepted: 07/25/2023] [Indexed: 08/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Cells sense, manipulate and respond to their mechanical microenvironment in a plethora of physiological processes, yet the understanding of how cells transmit, receive and interpret environmental cues to communicate with distant cells is severely limited due to lack of tools to quantitatively infer the complex tangle of dynamic cell-cell interactions in complicated environments. We present a computational method to systematically infer and quantify long-range cell-cell force transmission through the extracellular matrix (cell-ECM-cell communication) by correlating ECM remodeling fluctuations in between communicating cells and demonstrating that these fluctuations contain sufficient information to define unique signatures that robustly distinguish between different pairs of communicating cells. We demonstrate our method with finite element simulations and live 3D imaging of fibroblasts and cancer cells embedded in fibrin gels. While previous studies relied on the formation of a visible fibrous 'band' extending between cells to inform on mechanical communication, our method detected mechanical propagation even in cases where visible bands never formed. We revealed that while contractility is required, band formation is not necessary, for cell-ECM-cell communication, and that mechanical signals propagate from one cell to another even upon massive reduction in their contractility. Our method sets the stage to measure the fundamental aspects of intercellular long-range mechanical communication in physiological contexts and may provide a new functional readout for high content 3D image-based screening. The ability to infer cell-ECM-cell communication using standard confocal microscopy holds the promise for wide use and democratizing the method.
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Affiliation(s)
- Assaf Nahum
- Department of Software and Information Systems Engineering, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, 84105, Israel
| | - Yoni Koren
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, 69978, Israel
| | - Bar Ergaz
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, 69978, Israel
| | - Sari Natan
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, 69978, Israel
| | - Gad Miller
- Department of Software and Information Systems Engineering, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, 84105, Israel
| | - Yuval Tamir
- Department of Software and Information Systems Engineering, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, 84105, Israel
| | - Shahar Goren
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, 69978, Israel
| | - Avraham Kolel
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, 69978, Israel
| | - Sankar Jagadeeshan
- The Shraga Segal Dept. of Microbiology, Immunology and Genetics, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, 84105, Israel
| | - Moshe Elkabets
- The Shraga Segal Dept. of Microbiology, Immunology and Genetics, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, 84105, Israel
| | - Ayelet Lesman
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, 69978, Israel.
- Center for Physics and Chemistry of Living Systems, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, 69978, Israel.
| | - Assaf Zaritsky
- Department of Software and Information Systems Engineering, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, 84105, Israel.
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9
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Tsingos E, Bakker BH, Keijzer KAE, Hupkes HJ, Merks RMH. Hybrid cellular Potts and bead-spring modeling of cells in fibrous extracellular matrix. Biophys J 2023; 122:2609-2622. [PMID: 37183398 PMCID: PMC10397577 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2023.05.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2022] [Revised: 02/17/2023] [Accepted: 05/10/2023] [Indexed: 05/16/2023] Open
Abstract
The mechanical interaction between cells and the extracellular matrix (ECM) is fundamental to coordinate collective cell behavior in tissues. Relating individual cell-level mechanics to tissue-scale collective behavior is a challenge that cell-based models such as the cellular Potts model (CPM) are well-positioned to address. These models generally represent the ECM with mean-field approaches, which assume substrate homogeneity. This assumption breaks down with fibrous ECM, which has nontrivial structure and mechanics. Here, we extend the CPM with a bead-spring model of ECM fiber networks modeled using molecular dynamics. We model a contractile cell pulling with discrete focal adhesion-like sites on the fiber network and demonstrate agreement with experimental spatiotemporal fiber densification and displacement. We show that at high network cross-linking, contractile cell forces propagate over at least eight cell diameters, decaying with distance with power law exponent n= 0.35 - 0.65 typical of viscoelastic ECMs. Further, we use in silico atomic force microscopy to measure local cell-induced network stiffening consistent with experiments. Our model lays the foundation for investigating how local and long-ranged cell-ECM mechanobiology contributes to multicellular morphogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erika Tsingos
- Mathematical Institute, Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands.
| | | | - Koen A E Keijzer
- Mathematical Institute, Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | | | - Roeland M H Merks
- Mathematical Institute, Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands; Institute for Biology Leiden, Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands.
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10
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Kolel A, Ergaz B, Goren S, Tchaicheeyan O, Lesman A. Strain Gradient Programming in 3D Fibrous Hydrogels to Direct Graded Cell Alignment. SMALL METHODS 2023; 7:e2201070. [PMID: 36408763 DOI: 10.1002/smtd.202201070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Biological tissues experience various stretch gradients which act as mechanical signaling from the extracellular environment to cells. These mechanical stimuli are sensed by cells, triggering essential signaling cascades regulating cell migration, differentiation, and tissue remodeling. In most previous studies, a simple, uniform stretch to 2D elastic substrates has been applied to analyze the response of living cells. However, induction of nonuniform strains in controlled gradients, particularly in biomimetic 3D hydrogels, has proven challenging. In this study, 3D fibrin hydrogels of manipulated geometry are stretched by a silicone carrier to impose programmable strain gradients along different chosen axes. The resulting strain gradients are analyzed and compared to finite element simulations. Experimentally, the programmed strain gradients result in similar gradient patterns in fiber alignment within the gels. Additionally, temporal changes in the orientation of fibroblast cells embedded in the stretched fibrin gels correlate to the strain and fiber alignment gradients. The experimental and simulation data demonstrate the ability to custom-design mechanical gradients in 3D biological hydrogels and to control cell alignment patterns. It provides a new technology for mechanobiology and tissue engineering studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Avraham Kolel
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, 69978, Israel
| | - Bar Ergaz
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, 69978, Israel
| | - Shahar Goren
- School of Chemistry, Raymond & Beverly Sackler Faculty of Exact Sciences, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, 69978, Israel
| | - Oren Tchaicheeyan
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, 69978, Israel
| | - Ayelet Lesman
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, 69978, Israel
- Center for Physics and Chemistry of Living Systems, Tel Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, 69978, Israel
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11
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Panchenko AY, Tchaicheeyan O, Berinskii IE, Lesman A. Does the Extracellular Matrix Support Cell-Cell Communication by Elastic Wave Packets? ACS Biomater Sci Eng 2022; 8:5155-5170. [PMID: 36346743 DOI: 10.1021/acsbiomaterials.2c01049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
The extracellular matrix (ECM) is a fibrous network supporting biological cells and provides them a medium for interaction. Cells modify the ECM by applying traction forces, and these forces can propagate to long ranges and establish a mechanism of mechanical communication between neighboring cells. Previous studies have mainly focused on analysis of static force transmission across the ECM. In this study, we explore the plausibility of dynamic mechanical interaction, expressed as vibrations or abrupt fluctuations, giving rise to elastic waves propagating along ECM fibers. We use a numerical mass-spring model to simulate the longitudinal and transversal waves propagating along a single ECM fiber and across a 2D random fiber network. The elastic waves are induced by an active contracting cell (signaler) and received by a passive neighboring cell (receiver). We show that dynamic wave propagation may amplify the signal at the receiver end and support up to an order of magnitude stronger mechanical cues and longer-ranged communication relative to static transmission. Also, we report an optimal impulse duration corresponding to the most effective transmission, as well as extreme fast impulses, in which the waves are encaged around the active cell and do not reach the neighboring cell, possibly due to the Anderson localization effect. Finally, we also demonstrate that extracellular fluid viscosity reduces, but still allows, dynamic propagation along embedded ECM fibers. Our results motivate future biological experiments in mechanobiology to investigate, on the one hand, the mechanosensitivity of cells to dynamic forces traveling and guided by the ECM and, on the other hand, the impact of ECM architecture and remodeling on dynamic force transmission and its spectral filtering, dispersion, and decay.
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Affiliation(s)
- Artem Y Panchenko
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv69978, Israel
| | - Oren Tchaicheeyan
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv69978, Israel
| | - Igor E Berinskii
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv69978, Israel
| | - Ayelet Lesman
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv69978, Israel.,The Center for the Physics and Chemistry of Living Systems, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv69978, Israel
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12
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Doha U, Aydin O, Joy MSH, Emon B, Drennan W, Saif MTA. Disorder to order transition in cell-ECM systems mediated by cell-cell collective interactions. Acta Biomater 2022; 154:290-301. [PMID: 36243372 DOI: 10.1016/j.actbio.2022.10.012] [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: 03/19/2022] [Revised: 10/04/2022] [Accepted: 10/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Cells in functional tissues execute various collective activities to achieve diverse ordered processes including wound healing, organogenesis, and tumor formation. How a group of individually operating cells initiate such complex collective processes is still not clear. Here, we report that cells in 3D extracellular matrix (ECM) initiate collective behavior by forming cell-ECM network when the cells are within a critical distance from each other. We employed compaction of free-floating (FF) 3D collagen gels with embedded fibroblasts as a model system to study collective behavior and found a sharp transition in the amount of compaction as a function of cell-cell distance, reminiscent of phase transition in materials. Within the critical distance, cells remodel the ECM irreversibly, and form dense collagen bridges between each other resulting in the formation of a network. Beyond the critical distance, cells exhibit Brownian dynamics and only deform the matrix reversibly in a transient manner with no memory of history, thus maintaining the disorder. Network formation seems to be a necessary and sufficient condition to trigger collective behavior and a disorder-to order transition. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: Macroscopic compaction of in vitro collagen gels is mediated by collective mechanical interaction of cells. Previous studies on cell-induced ECM compaction suggest the existence of a critical cell density and phase transition associated with this phenomenon. Cell-mediated mechanical remodeling and global compaction of ECM has mostly been studied at steady state. Our study reveals a link between a transition in cell dynamics and material microstructure as cells collectively compact collagen gels. It underscores the significance of temporal evolution of these cell-ECM systems in understanding the mechanism of such collective action and provides insights on the process from a mechanistic viewpoint. These insights can be valuable in understanding dynamic pathological processes such as, cancer progression and wound healing, as well as engineering biomaterials and regenerative tissue mimics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Umnia Doha
- Department of Mechanical Science and Engineering, University of Illinois Urbana Champaign, United States
| | - Onur Aydin
- Department of Mechanical Science and Engineering, University of Illinois Urbana Champaign, United States
| | - Md Saddam Hossain Joy
- Department of Mechanical Science and Engineering, University of Illinois Urbana Champaign, United States
| | - Bashar Emon
- Department of Mechanical Science and Engineering, University of Illinois Urbana Champaign, United States
| | - William Drennan
- Department of Mechanical Science and Engineering, University of Illinois Urbana Champaign, United States
| | - M Taher A Saif
- Department of Mechanical Science and Engineering, University of Illinois Urbana Champaign, United States.
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13
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Proestaki M, Sarkar M, Burkel BM, Ponik SM, Notbohm J. Effect of hyaluronic acid on microscale deformations of collagen gels. J Mech Behav Biomed Mater 2022; 135:105465. [PMID: 36154991 PMCID: PMC9575965 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmbbm.2022.105465] [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: 06/27/2022] [Revised: 09/05/2022] [Accepted: 09/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
As fibrous collagen is the most abundant protein in mammalian tissues, gels of collagen fibers have been extensively used as an extracellular matrix scaffold to study how cells sense and respond to cues from their microenvironment. Other components of native tissues, such as glycosaminoglycans like hyaluronic acid, can affect cell behavior in part by changing the mechanical properties of the collagen gel. Prior studies have quantified the effects of hyaluronic acid on the mechanical properties of collagen gels in experiments of uniform shear or compression at the macroscale. However, there remains a lack of experimental studies of how hyaluronic acid changes the mechanical properties of collagen gels at the scale of a cell. Here, we studied how addition of hyaluronic acid to gels of collagen fibers affects the local field of displacements in response to contractile loads applied on length scales similar to those of a contracting cell. Using spherical poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) particles, which contract when heated, we induced displacement in gels of collagen and collagen with hyaluronic acid. Displacement fields were quantified using a combination of confocal microscopy and digital image correlation. Results showed that hyaluronic acid suppressed the distance over which displacements propagated, suggesting that it caused the network to become more linear. Additionally, hyaluronic acid had no statistical effect on heterogeneity of the displacement fields, but it did make the gels more elastic by substantially reducing the magnitude of permanent deformations. Lastly, we examined the effect of hyaluronic acid on fiber remodeling due to localized forces and found that hyaluronic acid partially - but not fully - inhibited remodeling. This result is consistent with prior studies suggesting that fiber remodeling is associated with a phase transition resulting from an instability caused by nonlinearity of the collagen gel.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Proestaki
- Department of Engineering Physics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Mainak Sarkar
- Department of Engineering Physics, 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 Engineering Physics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA; University of Wisconsin Carbone Cancer Center, Madison, WI, USA.
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14
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Chen W, Kumari J, Yuan H, Yang F, Kouwer PHJ. Toward Tissue-Like Material Properties: Inducing In Situ Adaptive Behavior in Fibrous Hydrogels. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2022; 34:e2202057. [PMID: 35792703 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202202057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2022] [Revised: 06/27/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The materials properties of biological tissues are unique. Nature is able to spatially and temporally manipulate (mechanical) properties while maintaining responsiveness toward a variety of cues; all without majorly changing the material's composition. Artificial mimics, synthetic or biomaterial-based are far less advanced and poorly reproduce the natural cell microenvironment. A viable strategy to generate materials with advanced properties combines different materials into nanocomposites. This work describes nanocomposites of a synthetic fibrous hydrogel, based on polyisocyanide (PIC), that is noncovalently linked to a responsive cross-linker. The introduction of the cross-linker transforms the PIC gel from a static fibrous extracellular matrix mimic to a highly dynamic material that maintains biocompatibility, as demonstrated by in situ modification of the (non)linear mechanical properties and efficient self-healing properties. Key in the material design is cross-linking at the fibrillar level using nanoparticles, which, simultaneously may be used to introduce more advanced properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wen Chen
- Institute for Molecules and Materials, Radboud University, Heyendaalseweg 135, Nijmegen, AJ 6525, The Netherlands
| | - Jyoti Kumari
- Institute for Molecules and Materials, Radboud University, Heyendaalseweg 135, Nijmegen, AJ 6525, The Netherlands
| | - Hongbo Yuan
- Molecular Imaging and Photonics, Chemistry Department, KU Leuven, Celestijnenlaan 200F, Heverlee, 3001, Belgium
- Institute of Biophysics, Hebei University of Technology, Tianjin, 300401, P. R. China
| | - Fan Yang
- Institute for Molecules and Materials, Radboud University, Heyendaalseweg 135, Nijmegen, AJ 6525, The Netherlands
| | - Paul H J Kouwer
- Institute for Molecules and Materials, Radboud University, Heyendaalseweg 135, Nijmegen, AJ 6525, The Netherlands
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15
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Liu K, Wiendels M, Yuan H, Ruan C, Kouwer PH. Cell-matrix reciprocity in 3D culture models with nonlinear elasticity. Bioact Mater 2022; 9:316-331. [PMID: 34820573 PMCID: PMC8586441 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioactmat.2021.08.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2021] [Revised: 06/24/2021] [Accepted: 08/03/2021] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Three-dimensional (3D) matrix models using hydrogels are powerful tools to understand and predict cell behavior. The interactions between the cell and its matrix, however is highly complex: the matrix has a profound effect on basic cell functions but simultaneously, cells are able to actively manipulate the matrix properties. This (mechano)reciprocity between cells and the extracellular matrix (ECM) is central in regulating tissue functions and it is fundamentally important to broadly consider the biomechanical properties of the in vivo ECM when designing in vitro matrix models. This manuscript discusses two commonly used biopolymer networks, i.e. collagen and fibrin gels, and one synthetic polymer network, polyisocyanide gel (PIC), which all possess the characteristic nonlinear mechanics in the biological stress regime. We start from the structure of the materials, then address the uses, advantages, and limitations of each material, to provide a guideline for tissue engineers and biophysicists in utilizing current materials and also designing new materials for 3D cell culture purposes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaizheng Liu
- Research Center for Human Tissue and Organs Degeneration, Institute of Biomedicine and Biotechnology, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, 518055, PR China
- Radboud University, Institute for Molecules and Materials, Heyendaalseweg 135, 6525 AJ, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Maury Wiendels
- Radboud University, Institute for Molecules and Materials, Heyendaalseweg 135, 6525 AJ, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Hongbo Yuan
- Institute of Biophysics, Hebei University of Technology, Tianjin, 300401, PR China
- Molecular Imaging and Photonics, Chemistry Department, KU Leuven, Celestijnenlaan 200F, 3001, Heverlee, Belgium
| | - Changshun Ruan
- Research Center for Human Tissue and Organs Degeneration, Institute of Biomedicine and Biotechnology, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, 518055, PR China
| | - Paul H.J. Kouwer
- Radboud University, Institute for Molecules and Materials, Heyendaalseweg 135, 6525 AJ, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
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16
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Boghdady CM, Kalashnikov N, Mok S, McCaffrey L, Moraes C. Revisiting tissue tensegrity: Biomaterial-based approaches to measure forces across length scales. APL Bioeng 2021; 5:041501. [PMID: 34632250 PMCID: PMC8487350 DOI: 10.1063/5.0046093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2021] [Accepted: 09/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Cell-generated forces play a foundational role in tissue dynamics and homeostasis and are critically important in several biological processes, including cell migration, wound healing, morphogenesis, and cancer metastasis. Quantifying such forces in vivo is technically challenging and requires novel strategies that capture mechanical information across molecular, cellular, and tissue length scales, while allowing these studies to be performed in physiologically realistic biological models. Advanced biomaterials can be designed to non-destructively measure these stresses in vitro, and here, we review mechanical characterizations and force-sensing biomaterial-based technologies to provide insight into the mechanical nature of tissue processes. We specifically and uniquely focus on the use of these techniques to identify characteristics of cell and tissue "tensegrity:" the hierarchical and modular interplay between tension and compression that provide biological tissues with remarkable mechanical properties and behaviors. Based on these observed patterns, we highlight and discuss the emerging role of tensegrity at multiple length scales in tissue dynamics from homeostasis, to morphogenesis, to pathological dysfunction.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Nikita Kalashnikov
- Department of Chemical Engineering, McGill University, Montréal, Québec H3A 0C5, Canada
| | - Stephanie Mok
- Department of Chemical Engineering, McGill University, Montréal, Québec H3A 0C5, Canada
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17
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Proestaki M, Burkel BM, Galles EE, Ponik SM, Notbohm J. Effect of matrix heterogeneity on cell mechanosensing. SOFT MATTER 2021; 17:10263-10273. [PMID: 34125129 PMCID: PMC8616824 DOI: 10.1039/d1sm00312g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Cells sense mechanical signals within the extracellular matrix, the most familiar being stiffness, but matrix stiffness cannot be simply described by a single value. Randomness in matrix structure causes stiffness at the scale of a cell to vary by more than an order of magnitude. Additionally, the extracellular matrix contains ducts, blood vessels, and, in cancer or fibrosis, regions with abnormally high stiffness. These different features could alter the stiffness sensed by a cell, but it is unclear whether the change in stiffness is large enough to overcome the noise caused by heterogeneity due to the random fibrous structure. Here we used a combination of experiments and modeling to determine the extent to which matrix heterogeneity disrupts the potential for cell sensing of a locally stiff feature in the matrix. Results showed that, at the scale of a single cell, spatial heterogeneity in local stiffness was larger than the increase in stiffness due to a stiff feature. The heterogeneity was reduced only for large length scales compared to the fiber length. Experiments verified this conclusion, showing spheroids of cells, which were large compared to the average fiber length, spreading preferentially toward stiff inclusions. Hence, the propagation of mechanical cues through the matrix depends on length scale, with single cells being able to sense only the stiffness of the nearby fibers and multicellular structures, such as tumors, also sensing the stiffness of distant matrix features.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Proestaki
- Department of Engineering Physics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA.
| | - Brian M Burkel
- Department of Cell and Regenerative Biology, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Emmett E Galles
- Department of Engineering Physics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA.
| | - Suzanne M Ponik
- Department of Cell and Regenerative Biology, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, USA
- University of Wisconsin Carbone Cancer Center, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Jacob Notbohm
- Department of Engineering Physics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA.
- University of Wisconsin Carbone Cancer Center, Madison, WI, USA
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18
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Mao X, Shokef Y. Introduction to force transmission by nonlinear biomaterials. SOFT MATTER 2021; 17:10172-10176. [PMID: 34755159 DOI: 10.1039/d1sm90194j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Xiaoming Mao and Yair Shokef introduce the Soft Matter themed collection on force transmission by nonlinear biomaterials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoming Mao
- Department of Physics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, 48109, USA.
| | - Yair Shokef
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Sackler Center for Computational Molecular and Materials Science, and Center for Physics and Chemistry of Living Systems, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, 69978, Israel.
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19
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Sirote C, Shokef Y. Mean-field interactions between living cells in linear and nonlinear elastic matrices. Phys Rev E 2021; 104:024411. [PMID: 34525613 DOI: 10.1103/physreve.104.024411] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2021] [Accepted: 07/28/2021] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
Living cells respond to mechanical changes in the matrix surrounding them by applying contractile forces that are in turn transmitted to distant cells. We consider simple effective geometries for the spatial arrangement of cells, we calculate the mechanical work that each cell performs in order to deform the matrix, and study how that energy changes when a contracting cell is surrounded by other cells with similar properties and behavior. Cells regulating the displacements that they generate are attracted to each other in a manner that does not depend on the cell's rigidity. Whereas cells regulating the active stress that they apply repel each other. This repulsion depends on the cell's bulk modulus in spherical geometry, while in cylindrical geometries the interaction depends also on their shear modulus. In nonlinear, strain-stiffening matrices, for displacement regulation, in the presence of other cells, cell contraction is limited due to the divergence of the shear stress. For stress regulation, the interaction energy drops at the nonlinear stiffening stress. Our theoretical work provides insight into matrix-mediated interactions between contractile cells and on the role of their mechanical regulatory behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chaviva Sirote
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
| | - Yair Shokef
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel.,Sackler Center for Computational Molecular and Materials Science, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel.,Center for Physics and Chemistry of Living Systems, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
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20
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Bose S, Dasbiswas K, Gopinath A. Matrix Stiffness Modulates Mechanical Interactions and Promotes Contact between Motile Cells. Biomedicines 2021; 9:biomedicines9040428. [PMID: 33920918 PMCID: PMC8077938 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines9040428] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2021] [Revised: 04/08/2021] [Accepted: 04/10/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The mechanical micro-environment of cells and tissues influences key aspects of cell structure and function, including cell motility. For proper tissue development, cells need to migrate, interact, and form contacts. Cells are known to exert contractile forces on underlying soft substrates and sense deformations in them. Here, we propose and analyze a minimal biophysical model for cell migration and long-range cell–cell interactions through mutual mechanical deformations of the substrate. We compute key metrics of cell motile behavior, such as the number of cell-cell contacts over a given time, the dispersion of cell trajectories, and the probability of permanent cell contact, and analyze how these depend on a cell motility parameter and substrate stiffness. Our results elucidate how cells may sense each other mechanically and generate coordinated movements and provide an extensible framework to further address both mechanical and short-range biophysical interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Subhaya Bose
- Department of Physics, University of California Merced, Merced, CA 95343, USA; (S.B.); (K.D.)
| | - Kinjal Dasbiswas
- Department of Physics, University of California Merced, Merced, CA 95343, USA; (S.B.); (K.D.)
| | - Arvind Gopinath
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California Merced, Merced, CA 95343, USA
- Correspondence:
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21
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Wei S, Wang W, Li L, Meng HY, Feng CZ, Dong YY, Fang XC, Dong QQ, Jiang W, Xin HL, Li ZZ, Wang X. Recombinant human epidermal growth factor combined with vacuum sealing drainage for wound healing in Bama pigs. Mil Med Res 2021; 8:18. [PMID: 33685528 PMCID: PMC7941968 DOI: 10.1186/s40779-021-00308-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2020] [Accepted: 02/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Vacuum sealing drainage (VSD) and epidermal growth factor (EGF) both play an important role in the treatment of wounds. This study aims to explore the effects of the combination of VSD and EGF on wound healing and the optimal concentration and time of EGF. METHODS We tested the proliferation and migration capacity of HaCaT and L929 cells at different EGF concentrations (0, 1, 5, 10, and 100 ng/ml) and different EGF action times (2, 10, and 30 min). A full-thickness skin defect model was established using male, 30-week-old Bama pigs. The experiment included groups as follows: routine dressing change after covering with sterile auxiliary material (Control), continuous negative pressure drainage of the wound (VSD), continuous negative pressure drainage of the wound and injection of EGF 10 min followed by removal by continuous lavage (V + E 10 min), and continuous negative pressure drainage of the wound and injection of EGF 30 min followed by removal by continuous lavage (V + E 30 min). The wound healing rate, histological repair effect and collagen deposition were compared among the four groups. RESULTS An EGF concentration of 10 ng/ml and an action time of 10 min had optimal effects on the proliferation and migration capacities of HaCaT and L929 cells. The drug dispersion effect was better than drug infusion after bolus injection effect, and the contact surface was wider. Compared with other groups, the V + E 10 min group promoted wound healing to the greatest extent and obtained the best histological score. CONCLUSIONS A recombinant human epidermal growth factor (rhEGF) concentration of 10 ng/ml can promote the proliferation and migration of epithelial cells and fibroblasts to the greatest extent in vitro. VSD combined with rhEGF kept in place for 10 min and then washed, can promote wound healing better than the other treatments in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuai Wei
- Institute of Orthopaedics, Beijing Key Lab of Regenerative Medicine in Orthopaedics, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, 100583, China.,Zhoushan Dinghai Guanghua Hospital, Zhoushan, 316000, China.,Tianjin Hospital, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300211, China
| | - Wei Wang
- Geriatric Neurological Department of the Second Medical Center & National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Diseases, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, 100853, China
| | - Li Li
- Department of Orthopedics, Traditional Chinese Medical Hospital of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Urumqi, 830000, China
| | - Hao-Ye Meng
- Institute of Orthopaedics, Beijing Key Lab of Regenerative Medicine in Orthopaedics, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, 100583, China
| | - Chun-Zhen Feng
- Department of Stomatology, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, 100853, China
| | - Yu-Ying Dong
- Department of Plastic Surgery, General Hospital of Taiyuan Iron and Steel Limited Company, Taiyuan, 030009, China
| | - Xi-Chi Fang
- Hand Microsurgery Department, Shenzhen People's Hospital, Shenzhen, 518020, China
| | - Qi-Qiang Dong
- Third Surgery Department, Zhengzhou Renji Hospital, Zhengzhou, 450000, China
| | - Wen Jiang
- Department of Orthopedics, the First Affiliated Hospital of Medical College, Shihezi University, Shihezi, Xinjiang, 832000, Uygur Autonomous Region, China
| | - Hai-Li Xin
- Pharmacy Department, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, 100853, China
| | - Zhan-Zhen Li
- Zhoushan Dinghai Guanghua Hospital, Zhoushan, 316000, China.
| | - Xin Wang
- Institute of Orthopaedics, Beijing Key Lab of Regenerative Medicine in Orthopaedics, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, 100583, China. .,Zhoushan Dinghai Guanghua Hospital, Zhoushan, 316000, China.
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22
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FITC-Dextran Release from Cell-Embedded Fibrin Hydrogels. Biomolecules 2021; 11:biom11020337. [PMID: 33672379 PMCID: PMC7926394 DOI: 10.3390/biom11020337] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2020] [Revised: 02/12/2021] [Accepted: 02/19/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Fibrin hydrogel is a central biological material in tissue engineering and drug delivery applications. As such, fibrin is typically combined with cells and biomolecules targeted to the regenerated tissue. Previous studies have analyzed the release of different molecules from fibrin hydrogels; however, the effect of embedded cells on the release profile has yet to be quantitatively explored. This study focused on the release of Fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-dextran (FD) 250 kDa from fibrin hydrogels, populated with different concentrations of fibroblast or endothelial cells, during a 48-h observation period. The addition of cells to fibrin gels decreased the overall release by a small percentage (by 7-15% for fibroblasts and 6-8% for endothelial cells) relative to acellular gels. The release profile was shown to be modulated by various cellular activities, including gel degradation and physical obstruction to diffusion. Cell-generated forces and matrix deformation (i.e., densification and fiber alignment) were not found to significantly influence the release profiles. This knowledge is expected to improve fibrin integration in tissue engineering and drug delivery applications by enabling predictions and ways to modulate the release profiles of various biomolecules.
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Shabi O, Natan S, Kolel A, Mukherjee A, Tchaicheeyan O, Wolfenson H, Kiryati N, Lesman A. Motion magnification analysis of microscopy videos of biological cells. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0240127. [PMID: 33151976 PMCID: PMC7644077 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0240127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2020] [Accepted: 09/21/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
It is well recognized that isolated cardiac muscle cells beat in a periodic manner. Recently, evidence indicates that other, non-muscle cells, also perform periodic motions that are either imperceptible under conventional lab microscope lens or practically not easily amenable for analysis of oscillation amplitude, frequency, phase of movement and its direction. Here, we create a real-time video analysis tool to visually magnify and explore sub-micron rhythmic movements performed by biological cells and the induced movements in their surroundings. Using this tool, we suggest that fibroblast cells perform small fluctuating movements with a dominant frequency that is dependent on their surrounding substrate and its stiffness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oren Shabi
- School of Electrical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Sari Natan
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Avraham Kolel
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | | | - Oren Tchaicheeyan
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | | | - Nahum Kiryati
- School of Electrical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Ayelet Lesman
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
- * E-mail:
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