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Boot RC, van der Net A, Gogou C, Mehta P, Meijer DH, Koenderink GH, Boukany PE. Cell spheroid viscoelasticity is deformation-dependent. Sci Rep 2024; 14:20013. [PMID: 39198595 PMCID: PMC11358509 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-70759-y] [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: 04/19/2024] [Accepted: 08/21/2024] [Indexed: 09/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Tissue surface tension influences cell sorting and tissue fusion. Earlier mechanical studies suggest that multicellular spheroids actively reinforce their surface tension with applied force. Here we study this open question through high-throughput microfluidic micropipette aspiration measurements on cell spheroids to identify the role of force duration and spheroid deformability. In particular, we aspirate spheroid protrusions of mice fibroblast NIH3T3 and human embryonic HEK293T homogeneous cell spheroids into micron-sized capillaries for different pressures and monitor their viscoelastic creep behavior. We find that larger spheroid deformations lead to faster cellular retraction once the pressure is released, regardless of the applied force. Additionally, less deformable NIH3T3 cell spheroids with an increased expression level of alpha-smooth muscle actin, a cytoskeletal protein upregulating cellular contractility, also demonstrate slower cellular retraction after pressure release for smaller spheroid deformations. Moreover, HEK293T cell spheroids only display cellular retraction at larger pressures with larger spheroid deformations, despite an additional increase in viscosity at these larger pressures. These new insights demonstrate that spheroid viscoelasticity is deformation-dependent and challenge whether surface tension truly reinforces at larger aspiration pressures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruben C Boot
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Delft University of Technology, Delft, 2629, HZ, The Netherlands
| | - Anouk van der Net
- Department of Bionanoscience, Kavli Institute of Nanoscience, Delft University of Technology, Delft, 2629, HZ, The Netherlands
| | - Christos Gogou
- Department of Bionanoscience, Kavli Institute of Nanoscience, Delft University of Technology, Delft, 2629, HZ, The Netherlands
| | - Pranav Mehta
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Delft University of Technology, Delft, 2629, HZ, The Netherlands
- Department of Cell and Chemical Biology and Oncode Institute, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, 2333, ZA, The Netherlands
| | - Dimphna H Meijer
- Department of Bionanoscience, Kavli Institute of Nanoscience, Delft University of Technology, Delft, 2629, HZ, The Netherlands
| | - Gijsje H Koenderink
- Department of Bionanoscience, Kavli Institute of Nanoscience, Delft University of Technology, Delft, 2629, HZ, The Netherlands
| | - Pouyan E Boukany
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Delft University of Technology, Delft, 2629, HZ, The Netherlands.
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2
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Ang I, Yousafzai MS, Yadav V, Mohler K, Rinehart J, Bouklas N, Murrell M. Elastocapillary effects determine early matrix deformation by glioblastoma cell spheroids. APL Bioeng 2024; 8:026109. [PMID: 38706957 PMCID: PMC11069407 DOI: 10.1063/5.0191765] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2023] [Accepted: 04/12/2024] [Indexed: 05/07/2024] Open
Abstract
During cancer pathogenesis, cell-generated mechanical stresses lead to dramatic alterations in the mechanical and organizational properties of the extracellular matrix (ECM). To date, contraction of the ECM is largely attributed to local mechanical stresses generated during cell invasion, but the impact of "elastocapillary" effects from surface tension on the tumor periphery has not been examined. Here, we embed glioblastoma cell spheroids within collagen gels, as a model of tumors within the ECM. We then modulate the surface tension of the spheroids, such that the spheroid contracts or expands. Surprisingly, in both cases, at the far-field, the ECM is contracted toward the spheroids prior to cellular migration from the spheroid into the ECM. Through computational simulation, we demonstrate that contraction of the ECM arises from a balance of spheroid surface tension, cell-ECM interactions, and time-dependent, poroelastic effects of the gel. This leads to the accumulation of ECM near the periphery of the spheroid and the contraction of the ECM without regard to the expansion or contraction of the spheroid. These results highlight the role of tissue-level surface stresses and fluid flow within the ECM in the regulation of cell-ECM interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ida Ang
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, USA
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3
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Yousafzai MS, Amiri S, Sun ZG, Pahlavan AA, Murrell M. Confinement induces internal flows in adherent cell aggregates. J R Soc Interface 2024; 21:20240105. [PMID: 38774959 DOI: 10.1098/rsif.2024.0105] [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: 12/16/2023] [Accepted: 04/05/2024] [Indexed: 07/31/2024] Open
Abstract
During mesenchymal migration, F-actin protrusion at the leading edge and actomyosin contraction determine the retrograde flow of F-actin within the lamella. The coupling of this flow to integrin-based adhesions determines the force transmitted to the extracellular matrix and the net motion of the cell. In tissues, motion may also arise from convection, driven by gradients in tissue-scale surface tensions and pressures. However, how migration coordinates with convection to determine the net motion of cellular ensembles is unclear. To explore this, we study the spreading of cell aggregates on adhesive micropatterns on compliant substrates. During spreading, a cell monolayer expands from the aggregate towards the adhesive boundary. However, cells are unable to stabilize the protrusion beyond the adhesive boundary, resulting in retraction of the protrusion and detachment of cells from the matrix. Subsequently, the cells move upwards and rearwards, yielding a bulk convective flow towards the centre of the aggregate. The process is cyclic, yielding a steady-state balance between outward (protrusive) migration along the surface, and 'retrograde' (contractile) flows above the surface. Modelling the cell aggregates as confined active droplets, we demonstrate that the interplay between surface tension-driven flows within the aggregate, radially outward monolayer flow and conservation of mass leads to an internal circulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- M S Yousafzai
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Yale University , , CT 06511, USA
- Systems Biology Institute, Yale University , CT 06516, USA
| | - S Amiri
- Systems Biology Institute, Yale University , CT 06516, USA
- Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, Yale University , , CT 06511, USA
| | - Z G Sun
- Systems Biology Institute, Yale University , CT 06516, USA
- Department of Physics, Yale University , , CT 06511, USA
| | - A A Pahlavan
- Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, Yale University , , CT 06511, USA
| | - M Murrell
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Yale University , , CT 06511, USA
- Systems Biology Institute, Yale University , CT 06516, USA
- Department of Physics, Yale University , , CT 06511, USA
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Lee SH, Yousafzai MS, Mohler K, Yadav V, Amiri S, Szuszkiewicz J, Levchenko A, Rinehart J, Murrell M. SPAK-dependent cotransporter activity mediates capillary adhesion and pressure during glioblastoma migration in confined spaces. Mol Biol Cell 2023; 34:ar122. [PMID: 37672340 PMCID: PMC10846615 DOI: 10.1091/mbc.e23-03-0103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2023] [Revised: 08/16/2023] [Accepted: 08/30/2023] [Indexed: 09/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The invasive potential of glioblastoma cells is attributed to large changes in pressure and volume, driven by diverse elements, including the cytoskeleton and ion cotransporters. However, how the cell actuates changes in pressure and volume in confinement, and how these changes contribute to invasive motion is unclear. Here, we inhibited SPAK activity, with known impacts on the cytoskeleton and cotransporter activity and explored its role on the migration of glioblastoma cells in confining microchannels to model invasive spread through brain tissue. First, we found that confinement altered cell shape, inducing a transition in morphology that resembled droplet interactions with a capillary vessel, from "wetting" (more adherent) at low confinement, to "nonwetting" (less adherent) at high confinement. This transition was marked by a change from negative to positive pressure by the cells to the confining walls, and an increase in migration speed. Second, we found that the SPAK pathway impacted the migration speed in different ways dependent upon the extent of wetting. For nonwetting cells, SPAK inhibition increased cell-surface tension and cotransporter activity. By contrast, for wetting cells, it also reduced myosin II and YAP phosphorylation. In both cases, membrane-to-cortex attachment is dramatically reduced. Thus, our results suggest that SPAK inhibition differentially coordinates cotransporter and cytoskeleton-induced forces, to impact glioblastoma migration depending on the extent of confinement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sung Hoon Lee
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511
- Systems Biology Institute, Yale University, West Haven, CT 06516
| | - Muhammad Sulaiman Yousafzai
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511
- Systems Biology Institute, Yale University, West Haven, CT 06516
| | - Kyle Mohler
- Systems Biology Institute, Yale University, West Haven, CT 06516
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06510
| | - Vikrant Yadav
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511
- Systems Biology Institute, Yale University, West Haven, CT 06516
| | - Sorosh Amiri
- Systems Biology Institute, Yale University, West Haven, CT 06516
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520
| | - Joanna Szuszkiewicz
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511
- Systems Biology Institute, Yale University, West Haven, CT 06516
| | - Andre Levchenko
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511
- Systems Biology Institute, Yale University, West Haven, CT 06516
| | - Jesse Rinehart
- Systems Biology Institute, Yale University, West Haven, CT 06516
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06510
| | - Michael Murrell
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511
- Department of Physics, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511
- Systems Biology Institute, Yale University, West Haven, CT 06516
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Yousafzai MS, Hammer JA. Using Biosensors to Study Organoids, Spheroids and Organs-on-a-Chip: A Mechanobiology Perspective. BIOSENSORS 2023; 13:905. [PMID: 37887098 PMCID: PMC10605946 DOI: 10.3390/bios13100905] [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: 07/26/2023] [Revised: 09/13/2023] [Accepted: 09/19/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023]
Abstract
The increasing popularity of 3D cell culture models is being driven by the demand for more in vivo-like conditions with which to study the biochemistry and biomechanics of numerous biological processes in health and disease. Spheroids and organoids are 3D culture platforms that self-assemble and regenerate from stem cells, tissue progenitor cells or cell lines, and that show great potential for studying tissue development and regeneration. Organ-on-a-chip approaches can be used to achieve spatiotemporal control over the biochemical and biomechanical signals that promote tissue growth and differentiation. These 3D model systems can be engineered to serve as disease models and used for drug screens. While culture methods have been developed to support these 3D structures, challenges remain to completely recapitulate the cell-cell and cell-matrix biomechanical interactions occurring in vivo. Understanding how forces influence the functions of cells in these 3D systems will require precise tools to measure such forces, as well as a better understanding of the mechanobiology of cell-cell and cell-matrix interactions. Biosensors will prove powerful for measuring forces in both of these contexts, thereby leading to a better understanding of how mechanical forces influence biological systems at the cellular and tissue levels. Here, we discussed how biosensors and mechanobiological research can be coupled to develop accurate, physiologically relevant 3D tissue models to study tissue development, function, malfunction in disease, and avenues for disease intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Sulaiman Yousafzai
- Cell and Developmental Biology Center, National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - John A. Hammer
- Cell and Developmental Biology Center, National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
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Boot RC, Roscani A, van Buren L, Maity S, Koenderink GH, Boukany PE. High-throughput mechanophenotyping of multicellular spheroids using a microfluidic micropipette aspiration chip. LAB ON A CHIP 2023; 23:1768-1778. [PMID: 36809459 PMCID: PMC10045894 DOI: 10.1039/d2lc01060g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2022] [Accepted: 02/16/2023] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
Cell spheroids are in vitro multicellular model systems that mimic the crowded micro-environment of biological tissues. Their mechanical characterization can provide valuable insights in how single-cell mechanics and cell-cell interactions control tissue mechanics and self-organization. However, most measurement techniques are limited to probing one spheroid at a time, require specialized equipment and are difficult to handle. Here, we developed a microfluidic chip that follows the concept of glass capillary micropipette aspiration in order to quantify the viscoelastic behavior of spheroids in an easy-to-handle, more high-throughput manner. Spheroids are loaded in parallel pockets via a gentle flow, after which spheroid tongues are aspirated into adjacent aspiration channels using hydrostatic pressure. After each experiment, the spheroids are easily removed from the chip by reversing the pressure and new spheroids can be injected. The presence of multiple pockets with a uniform aspiration pressure, combined with the ease to conduct successive experiments, allows for a high throughput of tens of spheroids per day. We demonstrate that the chip provides accurate deformation data when working at different aspiration pressures. Lastly, we measure the viscoelastic properties of spheroids made of different cell lines and show how these are consistent with previous studies using established experimental techniques. In summary, our chip provides a high-throughput way to measure the viscoelastic deformation behavior of cell spheroids, in order to mechanophenotype different tissue types and examine the link between cell-intrinsic properties and overall tissue behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruben C Boot
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Delft University of Technology, Delft, The Netherlands.
| | - Alessio Roscani
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Delft University of Technology, Delft, The Netherlands.
| | - Lennard van Buren
- Department of Bionanoscience, Kavli Institute of Nanoscience Delft, Delft University of Technology, Delft, The Netherlands
| | - Samadarshi Maity
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Delft University of Technology, Delft, The Netherlands.
| | - Gijsje H Koenderink
- Department of Bionanoscience, Kavli Institute of Nanoscience Delft, Delft University of Technology, Delft, The Netherlands
| | - Pouyan E Boukany
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Delft University of Technology, Delft, The Netherlands.
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7
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Staddon MF, Murrell MP, Banerjee S. Interplay between substrate rigidity and tissue fluidity regulates cell monolayer spreading. SOFT MATTER 2022; 18:7877-7886. [PMID: 36205535 PMCID: PMC9700261 DOI: 10.1039/d2sm00757f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Coordinated and cooperative motion of cells is essential for embryonic development, tissue morphogenesis, wound healing and cancer invasion. A predictive understanding of the emergent mechanical behaviors in collective cell motion is challenging due to the complex interplay between cell-cell interactions, cell-matrix adhesions and active cell behaviors. To overcome this challenge, we develop a predictive cellular vertex model that can delineate the relative roles of substrate rigidity, tissue mechanics and active cell properties on the movement of cell collectives. We apply the model to the specific case of collective motion in cell aggregates as they spread into a two-dimensional cell monolayer adherent to a soft elastic matrix. Consistent with recent experiments, we find that substrate stiffness regulates the driving forces for the spreading of cellular monolayer, which can be pressure-driven or crawling-based depending on substrate rigidity. On soft substrates, cell monolayer spreading is driven by an active pressure due to the influx of cells coming from the aggregate, whereas on stiff substrates, cell spreading is driven primarily by active crawling forces. Our model predicts that cooperation of cell crawling and tissue pressure drives faster spreading, while the spreading rate is sensitive to the mechanical properties of the tissue. We find that solid tissues spread faster on stiff substrates, with spreading rate increasing with tissue tension. By contrast, the spreading of fluid tissues is independent of substrate stiffness and is slower than solid tissues. We compare our theoretical results with experimental results on traction force generation and spreading kinetics of cell monolayers, and provide new predictions on the role of tissue fluidity and substrate rigidity on collective cell motion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael F Staddon
- Center for Systems Biology Dresden, Dresden, Germany
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Dresden, Germany
- Max Planck Institute for the Physics of Complex Systems, Dresden, Germany
| | - Michael P Murrell
- Department of Biomedical Engineering and Department of Physics, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
- Systems Biology Institute, Yale University, West Haven, CT, USA
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8
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Wu W, Wang J. Nonequilibrium Equation of State for Open Hamiltonian Systems Maintained in Nonequilibrium Steady States. J Phys Chem B 2022; 126:7883-7894. [PMID: 36191253 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.2c04564] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
We establish the nonequilibrium equation of state in the stochastic thermodynamics framework for open Hamiltonian systems in contact with multiple heat baths governed by the Langevin equation and the Fokker-Planck equation. The derived nonequilibrium equation of state is an integral part of the nonequilibrium steady-state thermodynamics, and it reduces to the equilibrium equation of state when all the heat baths have the same temperature. We find that the nonequilibrium equation of state can be separated into two parts. One part has the form of the equilibrium equation of state, with the equilibrium temperature replaced by the average temperature of the heat baths. The other part depends on the temperature differences of the heat baths and represents nonequilibrium corrections. For systems with harmonic potentials, the nonequilibrium correction part is linear in the temperature differences of the heat baths. For more general open Hamiltonian systems, it may contain higher powers of the temperature differences. Another important feature of the nonequilibrium equation of state is that, in addition to the temperatures of the heat baths, it also depends on the friction coefficients arising from system-bath interactions in general. This suggests that it represents a relational condition between the system and the heat baths instead of the intrinsic properties of the system itself. In addition, when the potential energy is a homogeneous function, we find that the product of the generalized force and the generalized coordinate is proportional to the nonequilibrium internal energy, which is an alternative form of the nonequilibrium equation of state. Our findings may provide insights into the nonequilibrium equation of state for more general nonequilibrium open systems, including active matter and living organisms. Results in this work with suitable extension may find potential applications in nanoelectronics and biophysics including molecular motors and cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Wu
- Wenzhou Institute, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wenzhou325011, China.,Oujiang Laboratory (Zhejiang Lab for Regenerative Medicine, Vision and Brain Health), Wenzhou325001, China.,State Key Laboratory of Electroanalytical Chemistry, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun130022, China
| | - Jin Wang
- Department of Chemistry, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York11794-3400, United States.,Department of Physics and Astronomy, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York11794, United States
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Yousafzai MS, Yadav V, Amiri S, Staddon MF, Errami Y, Jaspard G, Banerjee S, Murrell M. Cell-Matrix Elastocapillary Interactions Drive Pressure-based Wetting of Cell Aggregates. PHYSICAL REVIEW. X 2022; 12:031027. [PMID: 38009085 PMCID: PMC10673637 DOI: 10.1103/physrevx.12.031027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2023]
Abstract
Cell-matrix interfacial energies and the energies of matrix deformations may be comparable on cellular length-scales, yet how capillary effects influence tis sue shape and motion are unknown. In this work, we induce wetting (spreading and migration) of cell aggregates, as models of active droplets onto adhesive substrates of varying elasticity and correlate the dynamics of wetting to the balance of interfacial tensions. Upon wetting rigid substrates, cell-substrate tension drives outward expansion of the monolayer. By contrast, upon wetting compliant substrates, cell substrate tension is attenuated and aggregate capillary forces contribute to internal pressures that drive expansion. Thus, we show by experiments, data-driven modeling and computational simulations that myosin-driven 'active elasto-capillary' effects enable adaptation of wetting mechanisms to substrate rigidity and introduce a novel, pressure-based mechanism for guiding collective cell motion.
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Affiliation(s)
- M S Yousafzai
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Yale University, 55 Prospect Street, New Haven, Connecticut 06511, USA
- Systems Biology Institute, Yale University, 850 West Campus Drive, West Haven, Connecticut 06516, USA
| | - V Yadav
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Yale University, 55 Prospect Street, New Haven, Connecticut 06511, USA
- Systems Biology Institute, Yale University, 850 West Campus Drive, West Haven, Connecticut 06516, USA
| | - S Amiri
- Systems Biology Institute, Yale University, 850 West Campus Drive, West Haven, Connecticut 06516, USA
- Department of Mechanical Engineering and Material Science, Yale University, 10 Hillhouse Avenue, New Haven, Connecticut 06511, USA
| | - M F Staddon
- Center for Systems Biology Dresden, Dresden, Germany
- Max Planck Institute for the Physics of Complex Systems, Dresden, Germany
| | - Y Errami
- Systems Biology Institute, Yale University, 850 West Campus Drive, West Haven, Connecticut 06516, USA
- Department of Genetics, Yale School of Medicine, Sterling Hall of Medicine, 333 Cedar Street, New Haven, 06510
- Center for Cancer Systems Biology, Yale University, 850 West Campus Drive, West Haven, Connecticut 06516, USA
| | - G Jaspard
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Yale University, 55 Prospect Street, New Haven, Connecticut 06511, USA
- Systems Biology Institute, Yale University, 850 West Campus Drive, West Haven, Connecticut 06516, USA
| | - S Banerjee
- Department of Physics, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, USA and
| | - M Murrell
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Yale University, 55 Prospect Street, New Haven, Connecticut 06511, USA
- Systems Biology Institute, Yale University, 850 West Campus Drive, West Haven, Connecticut 06516, USA
- Department of Physics, Yale University, 217 Prospect Street, New Haven, Connecticut 06511, USA
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