1
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Zanotelli MR, Miller JP, Wang W, Ortiz I, Tahon E, Bordeleau F, Reinhart-King CA. Tension directs cancer cell migration over fiber alignment through energy minimization. Biomaterials 2024; 311:122682. [PMID: 38959532 DOI: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2024.122682] [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: 11/07/2023] [Revised: 06/06/2024] [Accepted: 06/23/2024] [Indexed: 07/05/2024]
Abstract
Cell migration during many fundamental biological processes including metastasis requires cells to traverse tissue with heterogeneous mechanical cues that direct migration as well as determine force and energy requirements for motility. However, the influence of discrete structural and mechanical cues on migration remains challenging to determine as they are often coupled. Here, we decouple the pro-invasive cues of collagen fiber alignment and tension to study their individual impact on migration. When presented with both cues, cells preferentially travel in the axis of tension against fiber alignment. Computational and experimental data show applying tension perpendicular to alignment increases potential energy stored within collagen fibers, lowering requirements for cell-induced matrix deformation and energy usage during migration compared to motility in the direction of fiber alignment. Energy minimization directs migration trajectory, and tension can facilitate migration against fiber alignment. These findings provide a conceptual understanding of bioenergetics during migration through a fibrous matrix.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew R Zanotelli
- Nancy E. and Peter C. Meinig School of Biomedical Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA; Department of Biomedical Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, 37235, USA
| | - Joseph P Miller
- Nancy E. and Peter C. Meinig School of Biomedical Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Wenjun Wang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, 37235, USA
| | - Ismael Ortiz
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, 37235, USA
| | - Elise Tahon
- CHU de Québec-Université Laval Research Center (Oncology Division), Université Laval Cancer Research Center, Centre de Recherche en Organogénèse Expérimentale de l'Université Laval/LOEX, Québec, G1R 3S3, Canada
| | - Francois Bordeleau
- CHU de Québec-Université Laval Research Center (Oncology Division), Université Laval Cancer Research Center, Centre de Recherche en Organogénèse Expérimentale de l'Université Laval/LOEX, Québec, G1R 3S3, Canada; Département de Biologie Moléculaire, de Biochimie Médicale et de Pathologie, Université Laval, Québec, Canada, G1V 0A6.
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2
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Shivers JL, MacKintosh FC. Nonlinear Poisson effect in affine semiflexible polymer networks. Phys Rev E 2024; 110:014502. [PMID: 39160898 DOI: 10.1103/physreve.110.014502] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2024] [Accepted: 06/28/2024] [Indexed: 08/21/2024]
Abstract
Stretching an elastic material along one axis typically induces contraction along the transverse axes, a phenomenon known as the Poisson effect. From these strains, one can compute the specific volume, which generally either increases or, in the incompressible limit, remains constant as the material is stretched. However, in networks of semiflexible or stiff polymers, which are typically highly compressible yet stiffen significantly when stretched, one instead sees a significant reduction in specific volume under finite strains. This volume reduction is accompanied by increasing alignment of filaments along the strain axis and a nonlinear elastic response, with stiffening of the apparent Young's modulus. For semiflexible networks, in which entropic bending elasticity governs the linear elastic regime, the nonlinear Poisson effect is caused by the nonlinear force-extension relationship of the constituent filaments, which produces a highly asymmetric response of the constituent polymers to stretching and compression. The details of this relationship depend on the geometric and elastic properties of the underlying filaments, which can vary greatly in experimental systems. Here, we provide a comprehensive characterization of the nonlinear Poisson effect in an affine network model and explore the influence of filament properties on essential features of both microscopic and macroscopic response, including strain-driven alignment and volume reduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jordan L Shivers
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77005, USA
- Center for Theoretical Biological Physics, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77005, USA
- James Franck Institute, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, USA
- Department of Chemistry, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, USA
| | - Fred C MacKintosh
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77005, USA
- Center for Theoretical Biological Physics, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77005, USA
- Department of Chemistry, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77005, USA
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77005, USA
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3
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Ashworth JC, Cox TR. The importance of 3D fibre architecture in cancer and implications for biomaterial model design. Nat Rev Cancer 2024; 24:461-479. [PMID: 38886573 DOI: 10.1038/s41568-024-00704-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/07/2024] [Indexed: 06/20/2024]
Abstract
The need for improved prediction of clinical response is driving the development of cancer models with enhanced physiological relevance. A new concept of 'precision biomaterials' is emerging, encompassing patient-mimetic biomaterial models that seek to accurately detect, treat and model cancer by faithfully recapitulating key microenvironmental characteristics. Despite recent advances allowing tissue-mimetic stiffness and molecular composition to be replicated in vitro, approaches for reproducing the 3D fibre architectures found in tumour extracellular matrix (ECM) remain relatively unexplored. Although the precise influences of patient-specific fibre architecture are unclear, we summarize the known roles of tumour fibre architecture, underlining their implications in cell-matrix interactions and ultimately clinical outcome. We then explore the challenges in reproducing tissue-specific 3D fibre architecture(s) in vitro, highlighting relevant biomaterial fabrication techniques and their benefits and limitations. Finally, we discuss imaging and image analysis techniques (focussing on collagen I-optimized approaches) that could hold the key to mapping tumour-specific ECM into high-fidelity biomaterial models. We anticipate that an interdisciplinary approach, combining materials science, cancer research and image analysis, will elucidate the role of 3D fibre architecture in tumour development, leading to the next generation of patient-mimetic models for mechanistic studies and drug discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- J C Ashworth
- School of Veterinary Medicine & Science, Sutton Bonington Campus, University of Nottingham, Leicestershire, UK.
- Biodiscovery Institute, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK.
- Cancer Ecosystems Program, The Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Darlinghurst, New South Wales, Australia.
| | - T R Cox
- Cancer Ecosystems Program, The Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Darlinghurst, New South Wales, Australia.
- The Kinghorn Cancer Centre, Darlinghurst, New South Wales, Australia.
- School of Clinical Medicine, St Vincent's Healthcare Clinical Campus, UNSW Medicine and Health, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
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4
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Cheung BCH, Abbed RJ, Wu M, Leggett SE. 3D Traction Force Microscopy in Biological Gels: From Single Cells to Multicellular Spheroids. Annu Rev Biomed Eng 2024; 26:93-118. [PMID: 38316064 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-bioeng-103122-031130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2024]
Abstract
Cell traction force plays a critical role in directing cellular functions, such as proliferation, migration, and differentiation. Current understanding of cell traction force is largely derived from 2D measurements where cells are plated on 2D substrates. However, 2D measurements do not recapitulate a vital aspect of living systems; that is, cells actively remodel their surrounding extracellular matrix (ECM), and the remodeled ECM, in return, can have a profound impact on cell phenotype and traction force generation. This reciprocal adaptivity of living systems is encoded in the material properties of biological gels. In this review, we summarize recent progress in measuring cell traction force for cells embedded within 3D biological gels, with an emphasis on cell-ECM cross talk. We also provide perspectives on tools and techniques that could be adapted to measure cell traction force in complex biochemical and biophysical environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian C H Cheung
- Department of Biological and Environmental Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA;
| | - Rana J Abbed
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA;
| | - Mingming Wu
- Department of Biological and Environmental Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA;
| | - Susan E Leggett
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA;
- Cancer Center at Illinois, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA
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5
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Kalaitzidou C, Grekas G, Zilian A, Makridakis C, Rosakis P. Compressive instabilities enable cell-induced extreme densification patterns in the fibrous extracellular matrix: Discrete model predictions. PLoS Comput Biol 2024; 20:e1012238. [PMID: 38950077 PMCID: PMC11244807 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1012238] [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: 07/24/2023] [Revised: 07/12/2024] [Accepted: 06/08/2024] [Indexed: 07/03/2024] Open
Abstract
We present a new model and extensive computations that explain the dramatic remodelling undergone by a fibrous collagen extracellular matrix (ECM), when subjected to contractile mechanical forces from embedded cells or cell clusters. This remodelling creates complex patterns, comprising multiple narrow localised bands of severe densification and fiber alignment, extending far into the ECM, often joining distant cells or cell clusters (such as tumours). Most previous models cannot capture this behaviour, as they assume stable mechanical fiber response with stress an increasing function of fiber stretch, and a restriction to small displacements. Our fully nonlinear network model distinguishes between two types of single-fiber nonlinearity: fibers that undergo stable (supercritical) buckling (as in previous work) versus fibers that suffer unstable (subcritical) buckling collapse. The model allows unrestricted, arbitrarily large displacements (geometric nonlinearity). Our assumptions on single-fiber instability are supported by recent simulations and experiments on buckling of individual beams with a hierarchical microstructure, such as collagen fibers. We use simple scenarios to illustrate, for the first time, two distinct compressive-instability mechanisms at work in our model: unstable buckling collapse of single fibers, and snap-through of multiple-fiber groups. The latter is possible even when single fibers are stable. Through simulations of large fiber networks, we show how these instabilities lead to spatially extended patterns of densification, fiber alignment and ECM remodelling induced by cell contraction. Our model is simple, but describes a very complex, multi-stable energy landscape, using sophisticated numerical optimisation methods that overcome the difficulties caused by instabilities in large systems. Our work opens up new ways of understanding the unique biomechanics of fibrous-network ECM, by fully accounting for nonlinearity and associated loss of stability in fiber networks. Our results provide new insights on tumour invasion and metastasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chrysovalantou Kalaitzidou
- Department of Engineering, Faculty of Science, Technology and Medicine, University of Luxembourg, Esch sur Alzette, Luxembourg
| | - Georgios Grekas
- Aerospace Engineering and Mechanics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States of America
- Institute of Applied and Computational Mathematics, Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas, Heraklion, Greece
| | - Andreas Zilian
- Department of Engineering, Faculty of Science, Technology and Medicine, University of Luxembourg, Esch sur Alzette, Luxembourg
| | - Charalambos Makridakis
- Institute of Applied and Computational Mathematics, Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas, Heraklion, Greece
- Department of Mathematics and Applied Mathematics, University of Crete, Heraklion, Greece
- Department of Mathematics, MPS, University of Sussex, Brighton, United Kingdom
| | - Phoebus Rosakis
- Institute of Applied and Computational Mathematics, Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas, Heraklion, Greece
- Department of Mathematics and Applied Mathematics, University of Crete, Heraklion, Greece
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6
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Huycke TR, Häkkinen TJ, Miyazaki H, Srivastava V, Barruet E, McGinnis CS, Kalantari A, Cornwall-Scoones J, Vaka D, Zhu Q, Jo H, Oria R, Weaver VM, DeGrado WF, Thomson M, Garikipati K, Boffelli D, Klein OD, Gartner ZJ. Patterning and folding of intestinal villi by active mesenchymal dewetting. Cell 2024; 187:3072-3089.e20. [PMID: 38781967 PMCID: PMC11166531 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2024.04.039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2023] [Revised: 12/30/2023] [Accepted: 04/26/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024]
Abstract
Tissue folds are structural motifs critical to organ function. In the intestine, bending of a flat epithelium into a periodic pattern of folds gives rise to villi, finger-like protrusions that enable nutrient absorption. However, the molecular and mechanical processes driving villus morphogenesis remain unclear. Here, we identify an active mechanical mechanism that simultaneously patterns and folds the intestinal epithelium to initiate villus formation. At the cellular level, we find that PDGFRA+ subepithelial mesenchymal cells generate myosin II-dependent forces sufficient to produce patterned curvature in neighboring tissue interfaces. This symmetry-breaking process requires altered cell and extracellular matrix interactions that are enabled by matrix metalloproteinase-mediated tissue fluidization. Computational models, together with in vitro and in vivo experiments, revealed that these cellular features manifest at the tissue level as differences in interfacial tensions that promote mesenchymal aggregation and interface bending through a process analogous to the active dewetting of a thin liquid film.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tyler R Huycke
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA; Program in Craniofacial Biology and Department of Orofacial Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Teemu J Häkkinen
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA; Program in Craniofacial Biology and Department of Orofacial Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Hikaru Miyazaki
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA; Program in Craniofacial Biology and Department of Orofacial Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Vasudha Srivastava
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Emilie Barruet
- Department of Pediatrics, Cedars-Sinai Guerin Children's, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Christopher S McGinnis
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Ali Kalantari
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA; Program in Craniofacial Biology and Department of Orofacial Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Jake Cornwall-Scoones
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | - Dedeepya Vaka
- Department of Pediatrics, Cedars-Sinai Guerin Children's, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Qin Zhu
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Hyunil Jo
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Roger Oria
- Center for Bioengineering and Tissue Regeneration, Department of Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA; Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA; Comprehensive Cancer Center, Helen Diller Family Cancer Research Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA; Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, Department of Radiation Oncology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Valerie M Weaver
- Center for Bioengineering and Tissue Regeneration, Department of Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA; Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA; Comprehensive Cancer Center, Helen Diller Family Cancer Research Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA; Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, Department of Radiation Oncology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - William F DeGrado
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Matt Thomson
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | - Krishna Garikipati
- Departments of Mechanical Engineering, and Mathematics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Dario Boffelli
- Department of Pediatrics, Cedars-Sinai Guerin Children's, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Ophir D Klein
- Program in Craniofacial Biology and Department of Orofacial Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA; Department of Pediatrics, Cedars-Sinai Guerin Children's, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
| | - Zev J Gartner
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA; Chan Zuckerberg Biohub, San Francisco, CA, USA.
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7
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Mogas-Soldevila L, Duro-Royo J, Lizardo D, Hollyer GG, Settens CM, Cox JM, Overvelde JTB, DiMasi E, Bertoldi K, Weaver JC, Oxman N. Driving macro-scale transformations in three-dimensional-printed biopolymers through controlled induction of molecular anisotropy at the nanoscale. Interface Focus 2024; 14:20230077. [PMID: 39081628 PMCID: PMC11285838 DOI: 10.1098/rsfs.2023.0077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2023] [Revised: 03/05/2024] [Accepted: 05/07/2024] [Indexed: 08/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Motivated by the need to harness the properties of renewable and biodegradable polymers for the design and manufacturing of multi-scale structures with complex geometries, we have employed our additive manufacturing platform that leverages molecular self-assembly for the production of metre-scale structures characterized by complex geometries and heterogeneous material composition. As a precursor material, we used chitosan, a chemically modified form of chitin, an abundant and sustainable structural polysaccharide. We demonstrate the ability to control concentration-dependent crystallization as well as the induction of the preferred orientation of the polymer chains through the combination of extrusion-based robotic fabrication and directional toolpathing. Anisotropy is demonstrated and assessed through high-resolution micro-X-ray diffraction in conjunction with finite element simulations. Using this approach, we can leverage controlled and user-defined small-scale propagation of residual stresses to induce large-scale folding of the resulting structures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laia Mogas-Soldevila
- DumoLab Research, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA19104, USA
- Mediated Matter Group, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA02142, USA
| | - Jorge Duro-Royo
- Mediated Matter Group, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA02142, USA
| | - Daniel Lizardo
- Mediated Matter Group, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA02142, USA
| | - George G. Hollyer
- DumoLab Research, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA19104, USA
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA19104, USA
| | - Charles M. Settens
- MIT.nano, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA02139, USA
| | - Jordan M. Cox
- MIT.nano, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA02139, USA
| | | | - Elaine DiMasi
- Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA94720, USA
| | - Katia Bertoldi
- School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA02138, USA
| | - James C. Weaver
- MIT.nano, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA02139, USA
- Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University, Boston, MA02215, USA
| | - Neri Oxman
- Mediated Matter Group, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA02142, USA
- Oxman, New York, NY10019, USA
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8
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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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9
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Kulkarni T, Robinson OM, Dutta A, Mukhopadhyay D, Bhattacharya S. Machine learning-based approach for automated classification of cell and extracellular matrix using nanomechanical properties. Mater Today Bio 2024; 25:100970. [PMID: 38312803 PMCID: PMC10835007 DOI: 10.1016/j.mtbio.2024.100970] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2023] [Revised: 01/16/2024] [Accepted: 01/19/2024] [Indexed: 02/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Fibrosis characterized by excess accumulation of extracellular matrix (ECM) due to complex cell-ECM interactions plays a pivotal role in pathogenesis. Herein, we employ the pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) model to investigate dynamic alterations in nanomechanical attributes arising from the cell-ECM interactions to study the fibrosis paradigm. Several segregated studies performed on cellular and ECM components fail to recapitulate their complex collaboration. We utilized collagen and fibronectin, the two most abundant PDAC ECM components, and studied their nanomechanical attributes. We demonstrate alteration in morphology and nanomechanical attributes of collagen with varying thicknesses of collagen gel. Furthermore, by mixing collagen and fibronectin in various stoichiometry, their nanomechanical attributes were observed to vary. To demonstrate the dynamicity and complexity of cell-ECM, we utilized Panc-1 and AsPC-1 cells with or without collagen. We observed that Panc-1 and AsPC-1 cells interact differently with collagen and vice versa, evident from their alteration in nanomechanical properties. Further, using nanomechanics data, we demonstrate that ML-based techniques were able to classify between ECM as well as cell, and cell subtypes in the presence/absence of collagen with higher accuracy. This work demonstrates a promising avenue to explore other ECM components facilitating deeper insights into tumor microenvironment and fibrosis paradigm.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tanmay Kulkarni
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, 4500 San Pablo Road South, Jacksonville, FL, 32224, USA
| | - Olivia-Marie Robinson
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, 4500 San Pablo Road South, Jacksonville, FL, 32224, USA
| | - Ayan Dutta
- School of Computing, University of North Florida, Jacksonville, FL, 32224 USA
| | - Debabrata Mukhopadhyay
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, 4500 San Pablo Road South, Jacksonville, FL, 32224, USA
- Department of Physiology and Biomedical Engineering, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, 4500 San Pablo Road South, Jacksonville, FL, 32224, USA
| | - Santanu Bhattacharya
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, 4500 San Pablo Road South, Jacksonville, FL, 32224, USA
- Department of Physiology and Biomedical Engineering, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, 4500 San Pablo Road South, Jacksonville, FL, 32224, USA
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10
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Joshi IM, Mansouri M, Ahmed A, De Silva D, Simon RA, Esmaili P, Desa DE, Elias TM, Brown EB, Abhyankar VV. Microengineering 3D Collagen Matrices with Tumor-Mimetic Gradients in Fiber Alignment. ADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS 2024; 34:2308071. [PMID: 38706986 PMCID: PMC11067715 DOI: 10.1002/adfm.202308071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2023] [Indexed: 05/07/2024]
Abstract
Collagen fibers in the 3D tumor microenvironment (TME) exhibit complex alignment landscapes that are critical in directing cell migration through a process called contact guidance. Previous in vitro work studying this phenomenon has focused on quantifying cell responses in uniformly aligned environments. However, the TME also features short-range gradients in fiber alignment that result from cell-induced traction forces. Although the influence of graded biophysical taxis cues is well established, cell responses to physiological alignment gradients remain largely unexplored. In this work, fiber alignment gradients in biopsy samples are characterized and recreated using a new microfluidic biofabrication technique to achieve tunable sub-millimeter to millimeter scale gradients. This study represents the first successful engineering of continuous alignment gradients in soft, natural biomaterials. Migration experiments on graded alignment show that HUVECs exhibit increased directionality, persistence, and speed compared to uniform and unaligned fiber architectures. Similarly, patterned MDA-MB-231 aggregates exhibit biased migration toward increasing fiber alignment, suggesting a role for alignment gradients as a taxis cue. This user-friendly approach, requiring no specialized equipment, is anticipated to offer new insights into the biophysical cues that cells interpret as they traverse the extracellular matrix, with broad applicability in healthy and diseased tissue environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Indranil M. Joshi
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, NY
| | - Mehran Mansouri
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, NY
| | - Adeel Ahmed
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, NY
| | - Dinindu De Silva
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, NY
| | - Richard A. Simon
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, NY
| | - Poorya Esmaili
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, NY
| | - Danielle E. Desa
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY
| | - Tresa M. Elias
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY
| | - Edward B. Brown
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY
| | - Vinay V. Abhyankar
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, NY
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11
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Golkov R, Shokef Y. Many-body interactions between contracting living cells. THE EUROPEAN PHYSICAL JOURNAL. E, SOFT MATTER 2024; 47:14. [PMID: 38372851 PMCID: PMC10876807 DOI: 10.1140/epje/s10189-024-00407-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2023] [Accepted: 01/25/2024] [Indexed: 02/20/2024]
Abstract
The organization of live cells into tissues and their subsequent biological function involves inter-cell mechanical interactions, which are mediated by their elastic environment. To model this interaction, we consider cells as spherical active force dipoles surrounded by an unbounded elastic matrix. Even though we assume that this elastic medium responds linearly, each cell's regulation of its mechanical activity leads to nonlinearities in the emergent interactions between cells. We study the many-body nature of these interactions by considering several geometries that include three or more cells. We show that for different regulatory behaviors of the cells' activity, the total elastic energy stored in the medium differs from the superposition of all two-body interactions between pairs of cells within the system. Specifically, we find that the many-body interaction energy between cells that regulate their position is smaller than the sum of interactions between all pairs of cells in the system, while for cells that do not regulate their position, the many-body interaction is larger than the superposition prediction. Thus, such higher-order interactions should be considered when studying the mechanics of multiple cells in proximity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roman Golkov
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Shamoon College of Engineering, Ashdod, 77245, Israel
| | - Yair Shokef
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, 69978, Israel.
- Center for Physics and Chemistry of Living Systems, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, 69978, Israel.
- Center for Computational Molecular and Materials Science, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, 69978, Israel.
- International Institute for Sustainability with Knotted Chiral Meta Matter, Hiroshima University, Higashi-Hiroshima, Hiroshima, 739-8526, Japan.
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12
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Prince E, Morozova S, Chen Z, Adibnia V, Yakavets I, Panyukov S, Rubinstein M, Kumacheva E. Nanocolloidal hydrogel mimics the structure and nonlinear mechanical properties of biological fibrous networks. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2220755120. [PMID: 38091296 PMCID: PMC10743449 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2220755120] [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: 12/06/2022] [Accepted: 10/03/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Fibrous networks formed by biological polymers such as collagen or fibrin exhibit nonlinear mechanical behavior. They undergo strong stiffening in response to weak shear and elongational strains, but soften under compressional strain, in striking difference with the response to the deformation of flexible-strand networks formed by molecules. The nonlinear properties of fibrous networks are attributed to the mechanical asymmetry of the constituent filaments, for which a stretching modulus is significantly larger than the bending modulus. Studies of the nonlinear mechanical behavior are generally performed on hydrogels formed by biological polymers, which offers limited control over network architecture. Here, we report an engineered covalently cross-linked nanofibrillar hydrogel derived from cellulose nanocrystals and gelatin. The variation in hydrogel composition provided a broad-range change in its shear modulus. The hydrogel exhibited both shear-stiffening and compression-induced softening, in agreement with the predictions of the affine model. The threshold nonlinear stress and strain were universal for the hydrogels with different compositions, which suggested that nonlinear mechanical properties are general for networks formed by rigid filaments. The experimental results were in agreement with an affine model describing deformation of the network formed by rigid filaments. Our results lend insight into the structural features that govern the nonlinear biomechanics of fibrous networks and provide a platform for future studies of the biological impact of nonlinear mechanical properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisabeth Prince
- Department of Chemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ONM5S3H6, Canada
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ONN2L3G1, Canada
- Waterloo Institute for Nanotechnology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ONN2L3G1, Canada
| | - Sofia Morozova
- Department of Chemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ONM5S3H6, Canada
- N. E. Bauman Moscow State Technical University, Moscow105005, Russia
| | - Zhengkun Chen
- Department of Chemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ONM5S3H6, Canada
| | - Vahid Adibnia
- Department of Chemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ONM5S3H6, Canada
- Department of Applied Oral Sciences, Faculty of Dentistry, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NSB3H4R2, Canada
| | - Ilya Yakavets
- Department of Chemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ONM5S3H6, Canada
| | - Sergey Panyukov
- Center of Soft Matter and Physics of Fluids, P. N. Lebedev Physics Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow117924, Russia
- Department of Theoretical Physics, Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, Moscow 141700, Russia
| | - Michael Rubinstein
- Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, Duke University, Durham, NC27708
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC27708
- Department of Physics, Duke University, Durham, NC27708
- Department of Chemistry, Duke University, Durham, NC27708
- Institute for Chemical Reaction Design and Discovery, Hokkaido University, Sapporo001-0021, Japan
| | - Eugenia Kumacheva
- Department of Chemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ONM5S3H6, Canada
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, ONM5S3G9, Canada
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ONM5S3E5, Canada
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13
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Mohammadkhah M, Klinge S. Review paper: The importance of consideration of collagen cross-links in computational models of collagen-based tissues. J Mech Behav Biomed Mater 2023; 148:106203. [PMID: 37879165 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmbbm.2023.106203] [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: 06/23/2023] [Revised: 09/25/2023] [Accepted: 10/17/2023] [Indexed: 10/27/2023]
Abstract
Collagen as the main protein in Extra Cellular Matrix (ECM) is the main load-bearing component of fibrous tissues. Nanostructure and architecture of collagen fibrils play an important role in mechanical behavior of these tissues. Extensive experimental and theoretical studies have so far been performed to capture these properties, but none of the current models realistically represent the complexity of network mechanics because still less is known about the collagen's inner structure and its effect on the mechanical properties of tissues. The goal of this review article is to emphasize the significance of cross-links in computational modeling of different collagen-based tissues, and to reveal the need for continuum models to consider cross-links properties to better reflect the mechanical behavior observed in experiments. In addition, this study outlines the limitations of current investigations and provides potential suggestions for the future work.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melika Mohammadkhah
- Technische Universität Berlin, Institute of Mechanics, Chair of Structural Mechanics and Analysis, Technische Universität Berlin, Straße des 17. Juni 135, 10623 Berlin, Germany.
| | - Sandra Klinge
- Technische Universität Berlin, Institute of Mechanics, Chair of Structural Mechanics and Analysis, Technische Universität Berlin, Straße des 17. Juni 135, 10623 Berlin, Germany
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14
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Tan Y, Ma L, Cao X, Yi Z, Ma X, Li X. Tunable Stress Relaxing Biomimetic Matrices: Hyaluronan/Hydroxyapatite Hybridization Mediates Assembly of Collagen Fibrils. Biomacromolecules 2023; 24:5162-5174. [PMID: 37889885 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biomac.3c00718] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/29/2023]
Abstract
The alluring correlations of cellular behaviors with viscoelastic extracellular matrices have driven increasing endeavors directed toward the understanding of mechanical cues on cell growth and differentiation via preparing biomimetic scaffolds/gels with viscoelastic controllability. Indeed, systematic investigations, especially into calcium phosphate-containing biomimetics, are relatively rare. Here, oxidized hyaluronic acid/hydroxyapatite hybrids (OHAHs) were synthesized by hyaluronan-mediated biomimetic mineralization with confined ion diffusion and subsequent oxidization treatment. The collagen self-assembly was applied to fabricate tunable stress relaxing fibrillar matrices in the presence of OHAHs in which the incorporated hyaluronic acid with aldehyde groups acted to improve the component compatibility as well as to supplement the molecular interactions with the occurrence of a Schiff-base reaction. With the addition of varying OHAH contents, the self-assembly behavior of collagen was altered, and the obtained collagen-hybrid (CH) matrices presented a heterogeneous fibrillar structure interspersed with OHAHs, characterized by large fibrillar bundles coexisting with small fibrils. The OHAHs improved the hydrogel stability of pure collagen, and according to rheological and nanoindentation measurements, CH matrices also exhibited tunable stress relaxation rates, following an OHAH concentration-dependent fashion. The proliferation and spreading of MC3T3-E1 cells cultured onto such CH matrices were further found to increase with the stress relaxing rate of the matrices. The present study showed that the introduction of hydroxyapatite incorporated with active hyaluronic acid during collagen reconstitution was a simple and effective strategy to realize the preparation of tunable stress relaxing biomimetic matrices potentially used for further appraising the regulation of mechanical cues on cell behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunfei Tan
- National Engineering Research Center for Biomaterials, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610064, China
- College of Biomedical Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610064, China
| | - Lei Ma
- National Engineering Research Center for Biomaterials, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610064, China
- College of Biomedical Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610064, China
| | - Xiaoyu Cao
- National Engineering Research Center for Biomaterials, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610064, China
- College of Biomedical Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610064, China
| | - Zeng Yi
- National Engineering Research Center for Biomaterials, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610064, China
- College of Biomedical Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610064, China
| | - Xiaomin Ma
- National Engineering Research Center for Biomaterials, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610064, China
- Targeted Tracer Research and Development Laboratory, Precision Medicine Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province & Precision Medicine Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Xudong Li
- National Engineering Research Center for Biomaterials, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610064, China
- College of Biomedical Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610064, China
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15
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Chen S, Markovich T, MacKintosh FC. Effective medium theory for mechanical phase transitions of fiber networks. SOFT MATTER 2023; 19:8124-8135. [PMID: 37846933 DOI: 10.1039/d3sm00810j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2023]
Abstract
Networks of stiff fibers govern the elasticity of biological structures such as the extracellular matrix of collagen. These networks are known to stiffen nonlinearly under shear or extensional strain. Recently, it has been shown that such stiffening is governed by a strain-controlled athermal but critical phase transition, from a floppy phase below the critical strain to a rigid phase above the critical strain. While this phase transition has been extensively studied numerically and experimentally, a complete analytical theory for this transition remains elusive. Here, we present an effective medium theory (EMT) for this mechanical phase transition of fiber networks. We extend a previous EMT appropriate for linear elasticity to incorporate nonlinear effects via an anharmonic Hamiltonian. The mean-field predictions of this theory, including the critical exponents, scaling relations and non-affine fluctuations qualitatively agree with previous experimental and numerical results.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sihan Chen
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005, USA.
- Center for Theoretical Biological Physics, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005, USA
| | - Tomer Markovich
- Center for Theoretical Biological Physics, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005, USA
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
- Center for Physics and Chemistry of Living Systems, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
| | - Fred C MacKintosh
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005, USA.
- Center for Theoretical Biological Physics, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005, USA
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005, USA
- Department of Chemistry, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005, USA
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16
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Parvez N, Merson J, Picu RC. Stiffening mechanisms in stochastic athermal fiber networks. Phys Rev E 2023; 108:044502. [PMID: 37978689 DOI: 10.1103/physreve.108.044502] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2023] [Accepted: 10/06/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023]
Abstract
Stochastic athermal networks composed of fibers that deform axially and in bending strain stiffen much faster than thermal networks of axial elements, such as elastomers. Here we investigate the physical origin of stiffening in athermal network materials. To this end, we use models of stochastic networks subjected to uniaxial deformation and identify the emergence of two subnetworks, the stress path subnetwork (SPSN) and the bending support subnetwork (BSSN), which carry most of the axial and bending energies, respectively. The BSSN controls lateral contraction and modulates the organization of the SPSN during deformation. The SPSN is preferentially oriented in the loading direction, while the BSSN's preferential orientation is orthogonal to the SPSN. In nonaffine networks stiffening is exponential, while in close-to-affine networks it is quadratic. The difference is due to a much more modest lateral contraction in the approximately affine case and to a stiffer BSSN. Exponential stiffening emerges from the interplay of the axial and bending deformation modes at the scale of individual or small groups of fibers undergoing large deformations and being subjected to the constraint of rigid cross-links, and it is not necessarily a result of complex interactions involving many connected fibers. An apparent third regime of quadratic stiffening may be evidenced in nonaffinely deforming networks provided the nominal stress is observed. This occurs at large stretches, when the BSSN contribution of stiffening vanishes. However, this regime is not present if the Cauchy stress is used, in which case stiffening is exponential throughout the entire deformation. These results shed light on the physical nature of stiffening in a broad class of materials including connective tissue, the extracellular matrix, nonwovens, felt, and other athermal network materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- N Parvez
- Department of Mechanical, Aerospace and Nuclear Engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, New York 12180, USA
| | - J Merson
- Department of Mechanical, Aerospace and Nuclear Engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, New York 12180, USA
| | - R C Picu
- Department of Mechanical, Aerospace and Nuclear Engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, New York 12180, USA
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17
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Aguilar J, Malacrida L, Gunther G, Torrado B, Torres V, Urbano BF, Sánchez SA. Cells immersed in collagen matrices show a decrease in plasma membrane fluidity as the matrix stiffness increases. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA. BIOMEMBRANES 2023; 1865:184176. [PMID: 37328024 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamem.2023.184176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2023] [Revised: 05/10/2023] [Accepted: 05/15/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Cells are constantly adapting to maintain their identity in response to the surrounding media's temporal and spatial heterogeneity. The plasma membrane, which participates in the transduction of external signals, plays a crucial role in this adaptation. Studies suggest that nano and micrometer areas with different fluidities at the plasma membrane change their distribution in response to external mechanical signals. However, investigations linking fluidity domains with mechanical stimuli, specifically matrix stiffness, are still in progress. This report tests the hypothesis that the stiffness of the extracellular matrix can modify the equilibrium of areas with different order in the plasma membrane, resulting in changes in overall membrane fluidity distribution. We studied the effect of matrix stiffness on the distribution of membrane lipid domains in NIH-3 T3 cells immersed in matrices of varying concentrations of collagen type I, for 24 or 72 h. The stiffness and viscoelastic properties of the collagen matrices were characterized by rheometry, fiber sizes were measured by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and the volume occupied by the fibers by second harmonic generation imaging (SHG). Membrane fluidity was measured using the fluorescent dye LAURDAN and spectral phasor analysis. The results demonstrate that an increase in collagen stiffness alters the distribution of membrane fluidity, leading to an increasing amount of the LAURDAN fraction with a high degree of packing. These findings suggest that changes in the equilibrium of fluidity domains could represent a versatile and refined component of the signal transduction mechanism for cells to respond to the highly heterogeneous matrix structural composition. Overall, this study sheds light on the importance of the plasma membrane's role in adapting to the extracellular matrix's mechanical cues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joao Aguilar
- Laboratorio de Interacciones Macromoleculares (LIMM), Departamento de Polímeros, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile
| | - Leonel Malacrida
- Departamento de Fisiopatología, Hospital de Clínicas, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay; Advanced Bioimaging Unit, Institut Pasteur Montevideo, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - German Gunther
- Facultad de Ciencias Químicas y Farmacéuticas, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Belén Torrado
- Biomedical Engineering Department, University of California at Irvine, California, USA
| | - Viviana Torres
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile
| | - Bruno F Urbano
- Laboratorio de Interacciones Macromoleculares (LIMM), Departamento de Polímeros, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile
| | - Susana A Sánchez
- Laboratorio de Interacciones Macromoleculares (LIMM), Departamento de Polímeros, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile.
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18
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Huycke TR, Miyazaki H, Häkkinen TJ, Srivastava V, Barruet E, McGinnis CS, Kalantari A, Cornwall-Scoones J, Vaka D, Zhu Q, Jo H, DeGrado WF, Thomson M, Garikipati K, Boffelli D, Klein OD, Gartner ZJ. Patterning and folding of intestinal villi by active mesenchymal dewetting. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.06.25.546328. [PMID: 37425793 PMCID: PMC10326967 DOI: 10.1101/2023.06.25.546328] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/11/2023]
Abstract
Tissue folding generates structural motifs critical to organ function. In the intestine, bending of a flat epithelium into a periodic pattern of folds gives rise to villi, the numerous finger-like protrusions that are essential for nutrient absorption. However, the molecular and mechanical mechanisms driving the initiation and morphogenesis of villi remain a matter of debate. Here, we identify an active mechanical mechanism that simultaneously patterns and folds intestinal villi. We find that PDGFRA+ subepithelial mesenchymal cells generate myosin II-dependent forces sufficient to produce patterned curvature in neighboring tissue interfaces. At the cell-level, this occurs through a process dependent upon matrix metalloproteinase-mediated tissue fluidization and altered cell-ECM adhesion. By combining computational models with in vivo experiments, we reveal these cellular features manifest at the tissue-level as differences in interfacial tensions that promote mesenchymal aggregation and interface bending through a process analogous to the active de-wetting of a thin liquid film.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tyler R. Huycke
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Program in Craniofacial Biology and Department of Orofacial Sciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Equal contribution
| | - Hikaru Miyazaki
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Program in Craniofacial Biology and Department of Orofacial Sciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Equal contribution
| | - Teemu J. Häkkinen
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Program in Craniofacial Biology and Department of Orofacial Sciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Equal contribution
| | - Vasudha Srivastava
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Emilie Barruet
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Program in Craniofacial Biology and Department of Orofacial Sciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Institute for Human Genetics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Christopher S. McGinnis
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Ali Kalantari
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Jake Cornwall-Scoones
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | - Dedeepya Vaka
- Department of Pediatrics, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, USA
| | - Qin Zhu
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Hyunil Jo
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - William F. DeGrado
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Matt Thomson
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | - Krishna Garikipati
- Departments of Mechanical Engineering, and Mathematics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, USA
| | - Dario Boffelli
- Department of Pediatrics, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, USA
| | - Ophir D. Klein
- Program in Craniofacial Biology and Department of Orofacial Sciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Institute for Human Genetics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, USA
| | - Zev J. Gartner
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Chan Zuckerberg Biohub, San Francisco, CA, USA
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19
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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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20
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Joshi IM, Mansouri M, Ahmed A, Simon RA, Bambizi PE, Desa DE, Elias TM, Brown EB, Abhyankar VV. Microengineering 3D Collagen Matrices with Tumor-Mimetic Gradients in Fiber Alignment. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.07.09.548253. [PMID: 37502844 PMCID: PMC10369918 DOI: 10.1101/2023.07.09.548253] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Abstract
In the tumor microenvironment (TME), collagen fibers facilitate tumor cell migration through the extracellular matrix. Previous studies have focused on studying the responses of cells on uniformly aligned or randomly aligned collagen fibers. However, the in vivo environment also features spatial gradients in alignment, which arise from the local reorganization of the matrix architecture due to cell-induced traction forces. Although there has been extensive research on how cells respond to graded biophysical cues, such as stiffness, porosity, and ligand density, the cellular responses to physiological fiber alignment gradients have been largely unexplored. This is due, in part, to a lack of robust experimental techniques to create controlled alignment gradients in natural materials. In this study, we image tumor biopsy samples and characterize the alignment gradients present in the TME. To replicate physiological gradients, we introduce a first-of-its-kind biofabrication technique that utilizes a microfluidic channel with constricting and expanding geometry to engineer 3D collagen hydrogels with tunable fiber alignment gradients that range from sub-millimeter to millimeter length scales. Our modular approach allows easy access to the microengineered gradient gels, and we demonstrate that HUVECs migrate in response to the fiber architecture. We provide preliminary evidence suggesting that MDA-MB-231 cell aggregates, patterned onto a specific location on the alignment gradient, exhibit preferential migration towards increasing alignment. This finding suggests that alignment gradients could serve as an additional taxis cue in the ECM. Importantly, our study represents the first successful engineering of continuous gradients of fiber alignment in soft, natural materials. We anticipate that our user-friendly platform, which needs no specialized equipment, will offer new experimental capabilities to study the impact of fiber-based contact guidance on directed cell migration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Indranil M. Joshi
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, NY
| | - Mehran Mansouri
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, NY
| | - Adeel Ahmed
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, NY
| | - Richard A. Simon
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, NY
| | | | - Danielle E. Desa
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY
| | - Tresa M. Elias
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY
| | - Edward B. Brown
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY
| | - Vinay V. Abhyankar
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, NY
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21
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Saraswathibhatla A, Indana D, Chaudhuri O. Cell-extracellular matrix mechanotransduction in 3D. Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol 2023; 24:495-516. [PMID: 36849594 PMCID: PMC10656994 DOI: 10.1038/s41580-023-00583-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 86] [Impact Index Per Article: 86.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/20/2023] [Indexed: 03/01/2023]
Abstract
Mechanical properties of extracellular matrices (ECMs) regulate essential cell behaviours, including differentiation, migration and proliferation, through mechanotransduction. Studies of cell-ECM mechanotransduction have largely focused on cells cultured in 2D, on top of elastic substrates with a range of stiffnesses. However, cells often interact with ECMs in vivo in a 3D context, and cell-ECM interactions and mechanisms of mechanotransduction in 3D can differ from those in 2D. The ECM exhibits various structural features as well as complex mechanical properties. In 3D, mechanical confinement by the surrounding ECM restricts changes in cell volume and cell shape but allows cells to generate force on the matrix by extending protrusions and regulating cell volume as well as through actomyosin-based contractility. Furthermore, cell-matrix interactions are dynamic owing to matrix remodelling. Accordingly, ECM stiffness, viscoelasticity and degradability often play a critical role in regulating cell behaviours in 3D. Mechanisms of 3D mechanotransduction include traditional integrin-mediated pathways that sense mechanical properties and more recently described mechanosensitive ion channel-mediated pathways that sense 3D confinement, with both converging on the nucleus for downstream control of transcription and phenotype. Mechanotransduction is involved in tissues from development to cancer and is being increasingly harnessed towards mechanotherapy. Here we discuss recent progress in our understanding of cell-ECM mechanotransduction in 3D.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Dhiraj Indana
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Ovijit Chaudhuri
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.
- Sarafan ChEM-H, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.
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22
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Katrilaka C, Karipidou N, Petrou N, Manglaris C, Katrilakas G, Tzavellas AN, Pitou M, Tsiridis EE, Choli-Papadopoulou T, Aggeli A. Freeze-Drying Process for the Fabrication of Collagen-Based Sponges as Medical Devices in Biomedical Engineering. MATERIALS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 16:4425. [PMID: 37374608 DOI: 10.3390/ma16124425] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2023] [Revised: 06/12/2023] [Accepted: 06/13/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023]
Abstract
This paper presents a systematic review of a key sector of the much promising and rapidly evolving field of biomedical engineering, specifically on the fabrication of three-dimensional open, porous collagen-based medical devices, using the prominent freeze-drying process. Collagen and its derivatives are the most popular biopolymers in this field, as they constitute the main components of the extracellular matrix, and therefore exhibit desirable properties, such as biocompatibility and biodegradability, for in vivo applications. For this reason, freeze-dried collagen-based sponges with a wide variety of attributes can be produced and have already led to a wide range of successful commercial medical devices, chiefly for dental, orthopedic, hemostatic, and neuronal applications. However, collagen sponges display some vulnerabilities in other key properties, such as low mechanical strength and poor control of their internal architecture, and therefore many studies focus on the settlement of these defects, either by tampering with the steps of the freeze-drying process or by combining collagen with other additives. Furthermore, freeze drying is still considered a high-cost and time-consuming process that is often used in a non-optimized manner. By applying an interdisciplinary approach and combining advances in other technological fields, such as in statistical analysis, implementing the Design of Experiments, and Artificial Intelligence, the opportunity arises to further evolve this process in a sustainable and strategic manner, and optimize the resulting products as well as create new opportunities in this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chrysoula Katrilaka
- Department of Chemical Engineering, School of Engineering, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, University Campus, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Niki Karipidou
- Department of Chemical Engineering, School of Engineering, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, University Campus, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Nestor Petrou
- Department of Chemical Engineering, School of Engineering, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, University Campus, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Chris Manglaris
- Department of Chemical Engineering, School of Engineering, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, University Campus, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - George Katrilakas
- Department of Chemical Engineering, School of Engineering, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, University Campus, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Anastasios Nektarios Tzavellas
- 3rd Department of Orthopedics, School of Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, University Campus, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Maria Pitou
- School of Chemistry, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, University Campus, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Eleftherios E Tsiridis
- 3rd Department of Orthopedics, School of Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, University Campus, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece
| | | | - Amalia Aggeli
- Department of Chemical Engineering, School of Engineering, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, University Campus, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece
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23
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Tseng YH, Ma TL, Tan DH, Su AJA, Washington KM, Wang CC, Huang YC, Wu MC, Su WF. Injectable Hydrogel Guides Neurons Growth with Specific Directionality. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24097952. [PMID: 37175657 PMCID: PMC10178216 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24097952] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2023] [Revised: 04/19/2023] [Accepted: 04/25/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Visual disabilities affect more than 250 million people, with 43 million suffering from irreversible blindness. The eyes are an extension of the central nervous system which cannot regenerate. Neural tissue engineering is a potential method to cure the disease. Injectability is a desirable property for tissue engineering scaffolds which can eliminate some surgical procedures and reduce possible complications and health risks. We report the development of the anisotropic structured hydrogel scaffold created by a co-injection of cellulose nanofiber (CNF) solution and co-polypeptide solution. The positively charged poly (L-lysine)-r-poly(L-glutamic acid) with 20 mol% of glutamic acid (PLLGA) is crosslinked with negatively charged CNF while promoting cellular activity from the acid nerve stimulate. We found that CNF easily aligns under shear forces from injection and is able to form hydrogel with an ordered structure. Hydrogel is mechanically strong and able to support, guide, and stimulate neurite growth. The anisotropy of our hydrogel was quantitatively determined in situ by 2D optical microscopy and 3D X-ray tomography. The effects of PLLGA:CNF blend ratios on cell viability, neurite growth, and neuronal signaling are systematically investigated in this study. We determined the optimal blend composition for stimulating directional neurite growth yielded a 16% increase in length compared with control, reaching anisotropy of 30.30% at 10°/57.58% at 30°. Using measurements of calcium signaling in vitro, we found a 2.45-fold increase vs. control. Based on our results, we conclude this novel material and unique injection method has a high potential for application in neural tissue engineering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yun-Hsiu Tseng
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan
| | - Tien-Li Ma
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan
| | - Dun-Heng Tan
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan
| | - An-Jey A Su
- Department of Surgery, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | - Kia M Washington
- Department of Surgery, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | - Chun-Chieh Wang
- National Synchrotron Radiation Research Center, Hsinchu 30076, Taiwan
| | - Yu-Ching Huang
- Department of Materials Engineering, Ming Chi University of Technology, New Taipei 24301, Taiwan
| | - Ming-Chung Wu
- Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan 33302, Taiwan
- Center for Green Technology, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan 33302, Taiwan
- Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Linkou, Taoyuan 33305, Taiwan
| | - Wei-Fang Su
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan
- Department of Materials Engineering, Ming Chi University of Technology, New Taipei 24301, Taiwan
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24
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Nguyen RY, Cabral AT, Rossello-Martinez A, Zulli A, Gong X, Zhang Q, Yan J, Mak M. Tunable Mesoscopic Collagen Island Architectures Modulate Stem Cell Behavior. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2023; 35:e2207882. [PMID: 36895051 PMCID: PMC10166061 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202207882] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2022] [Revised: 11/22/2022] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
The extracellular matrix is the biophysical environment that scaffolds mammalian cells in the body. The main constituent is collagen. In physiological tissues, collagen network topology is diverse with complex mesoscopic features. While studies have explored the roles of collagen density and stiffness, the impact of complex architectures remains not well-understood. Developing in vitro systems that recapitulate these diverse collagen architectures is critical for understanding physiologically relevant cell behaviors. Here, methods are developed to induce the formation of heterogeneous mesoscopic architectures, referred to as collagen islands, in collagen hydrogels. These island-containing gels have highly tunable inclusions and mechanical properties. Although these gels are globally soft, there is regional enrichment in the collagen concentration at the cell-scale. Collagen-island architectures are utilized to study mesenchymal stem cell behavior, and it is demonstrated that cell migration and osteogenic differentiation are altered. Finally, induced pluripotent stem cells are cultured in island-containing gels, and it is shown that the architecture is sufficient to induce mesodermal differentiation. Overall, this work highlights complex mesoscopic tissue architectures as bioactive cues in regulating cell behavior and presents a novel collagen-based hydrogel that captures these features for tissue engineering applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan Y. Nguyen
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Aidan T. Cabral
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | | | - Alessandro Zulli
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Xiangyu Gong
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Qiuting Zhang
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Jing Yan
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Michael Mak
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
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25
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Little J, Levine AJ, Singh AR, Bruinsma R. Finite-strain elasticity theory and liquid-liquid phase separation in compressible gels. Phys Rev E 2023; 107:024418. [PMID: 36932516 DOI: 10.1103/physreve.107.024418] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2022] [Accepted: 12/21/2022] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
The theory of finite-strain elasticity is applied to the phenomenon of cavitation observed in polymer gels following liquid-liquid phase separation of the solvent, which opens a fascinating window on the role of finite-strain elasticity theory in soft materials in general. We show that compressibility effects strongly enhance cavitation in simple materials that obey neo-Hookean elasticity. On the other hand, cavitation phenomena in gels of flexible polymers in a binary solvent that phase separates are surprisingly similar to those of incompressible materials. We find that, as a function of the interfacial energy between the two solvent components, there is a sharp transition between cavitation and classical nucleation and growth. Next, biopolymer gels are characterized by strain hardening and even very low levels of strain hardening turn out to suppress cavitation in polymer gels that obey Flory-Huggins theory in the absence of strain hardening. Our results indicate that cavitation is, in essence, not possible for polymer networks that show strain hardening.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justin Little
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90095, USA
| | - Alex J Levine
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90095, USA
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90095, USA
- Department of Computational Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90095, USA
| | - Amit R Singh
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani, RJ 333031, India
| | - Robijn Bruinsma
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90095, USA
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90095, USA
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26
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Edwin PERG, Kumar S, Roy S, Roy B, Bajpai SK. Anisotropic 3D confinement of MCF-7 cells induces directed cell-migration and viscoelastic anisotropy of cell-membrane. Phys Biol 2023; 20. [DOI: 10.1088/1478-3975/ac9bc1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2022] [Accepted: 10/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Tumor-associated collagen signature-3 (TACS-3) is a prognostic indicator for breast cancer survival. It is characterized by highly organized, parallel bundles of collagen fibers oriented perpendicular to the tumor boundary, serving as directional, confining channels for cancer cell invasion. Here we design a TACS-3-mimetic anisotropic, confined collagen I matrix and examine the relation between anisotropy of matrix, directed cellular migration, and anisotropy of cell membrane-the first direct contact between TACS-3 and cell-using Michigan Cancer Foundation-7 (MCF-7) cells as cancer-model. Using unidirectional freezing, we generated ∼50 μm-wide channels filled with collagen I. Optical tweezer (OT) microrheology shows that anisotropic confinement increases collagen viscoelasticity by two orders of magnitude, and the elastic modulus is significantly greater along the direction of anisotropic confinement compared to that along the orthogonal direction, thus establishing matrix anisotropy. Furthermore, MCF-7 cells embedded in anisotropic collagen I, exhibit directionality in cellular morphology and migration. Finally, using customized OT to trap polystyrene probes bound to cell-membrane (and not to ECM) of either free cells or cells under anisotropic confinement, we quantified the effect of matrix anisotropy on membrane viscoelasticity, both in-plane and out-of-plane, vis-à-vis the membrane. Both bulk and viscous modulus of cell-membrane of MCF-7 cells exhibit significant anisotropy under anisotropic confinement. Moreover, the cell membrane of MCF-7 cells under anisotropic confinement is significantly softer (both in-plane and out-of-plane moduli) despite their local environment being five times stiffer than free cells. In order to test if the coupling between anisotropy of extracellular matrix and anisotropy of cell-membrane is regulated by cell-cytoskeleton, actin cytoskeleton was depolymerized for both free and confined cells. Results show that cell membrane viscoelasticity of confined MCF-7 cells is unaffected by actin de-polymerization, in contrast to free cells. Together, these findings suggest that anisotropy of ECM induces directed migration and correlates with anisotropy of cell-membrane viscoelasticity of the MCF-7 cells in an actin-independent manner.
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27
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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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28
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Goren S, Levin M, Brand G, Lesman A, Sorkin R. Probing Local Force Propagation in Tensed Fibrous Gels. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2023; 19:e2202573. [PMID: 36433830 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202202573] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2022] [Revised: 10/31/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Fibrous hydrogels are a key component of soft animal tissues. They support cellular functions and facilitate efficient mechanical communication between cells. Due to their nonlinear mechanical properties, fibrous materials display non-trivial force propagation at the microscale, that is enhanced compared to that of linear-elastic materials. In the body, tissues are constantly subjected to external loads that tense or compress them, modifying their micro-mechanical properties into an anisotropic state. However, it is unknown how force propagation is modified by this isotropic-to-anisotropic transition. Here, force propagation in tensed fibrin hydrogels is directly measured. Local perturbations are induced by oscillating microspheres using optical tweezers. 1-point and 2-point microrheology are combined to simultaneously measure the shear modulus and force propagation. A mathematical framework to quantify anisotropic force propagation trends is suggested. Results show that force propagation becomes anisotropic in tensed gels, with, surprisingly, stronger response to perturbations perpendicular to the axis of tension. Importantly, external tension can also increase the range of force transmission. Possible implications and future directions for research are discussed. These results suggest a mechanism for favored directions of mechanical communication between cells in a tissue under external loads.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shahar Goren
- School of Chemistry, Raymond & Beverly Sackler Faculty of Exact Sciences, Tel Aviv University, P.O. Box 39040, Tel Aviv, 6997801, Israel
- School of Mechanical Engineering, The Iby and Aladar Fleischman Faculty of Engineering, Tel Aviv University, P.O. Box 39040, Tel Aviv, 6997801, Israel
- Center for Physics and Chemistry of Living Systems, Tel Aviv University, P.O. Box 39040, Tel Aviv, 6997801, Israel
- Center for Light-Matter Interactions, Tel Aviv University, P.O. Box 39040, Tel Aviv, 6997801, Israel
| | - Maayan Levin
- School of Chemistry, Raymond & Beverly Sackler Faculty of Exact Sciences, Tel Aviv University, P.O. Box 39040, Tel Aviv, 6997801, Israel
- Center for Physics and Chemistry of Living Systems, Tel Aviv University, P.O. Box 39040, Tel Aviv, 6997801, Israel
| | - Guy Brand
- School of Chemistry, Raymond & Beverly Sackler Faculty of Exact Sciences, Tel Aviv University, P.O. Box 39040, Tel Aviv, 6997801, Israel
| | - Ayelet Lesman
- School of Mechanical Engineering, The Iby and Aladar Fleischman Faculty of Engineering, Tel Aviv University, P.O. Box 39040, Tel Aviv, 6997801, Israel
- Center for Physics and Chemistry of Living Systems, Tel Aviv University, P.O. Box 39040, Tel Aviv, 6997801, Israel
| | - Raya Sorkin
- School of Chemistry, Raymond & Beverly Sackler Faculty of Exact Sciences, Tel Aviv University, P.O. Box 39040, Tel Aviv, 6997801, Israel
- Center for Physics and Chemistry of Living Systems, Tel Aviv University, P.O. Box 39040, Tel Aviv, 6997801, Israel
- Center for Light-Matter Interactions, Tel Aviv University, P.O. Box 39040, Tel Aviv, 6997801, Israel
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29
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Parvez N, Picu CR. Effect of connectivity on the elasticity of athermal network materials. SOFT MATTER 2022; 19:106-114. [PMID: 36472301 DOI: 10.1039/d2sm01303g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Network materials with stochastic structure are ubiquitous in biology and engineering, which drives the current interest in establishing relations between their structure and mechanical behavior. In this work we focus on the effect of connectivity defined by the number of fibers emerging from a crosslink, z, and compare networks with identical (z-homogeneous) and distinct (z-heterogeneous) z at the crosslinks. We observe that the functional form of strain stiffening is z-independent, and that the central z-dependent parameter is the small strain stiffness, E0. We confirm previous results indicating that the functional form of E0(z) is a power function with 3 regimes and observe that this applies to a broad range of z. However, the scaling exponents are different in the z-homogeneous and z-heterogeneous cases. We confirm that increasing z across the Maxwell's central force isostatic point leads to a transition from bending to axial energy storage. However, we observe that this does not necessarily imply that deformation becomes affine in the large z limit. In fact, networks of fibers with low bending stiffness retain a relaxation mode based on the rotational degree of freedom of the crosslinks which allows E0 in the large z limit to be smaller than the affine model prediction. We also conclude that in the z-heterogeneous case, the mean connectivity z̄ is sufficient to evaluate the effect of connectivity on E0 and that higher moments of the distribution of z are less important.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nishan Parvez
- Department of Mechanical, Aerospace and Nuclear Engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY 12180, USA.
| | - Catalin R Picu
- Department of Mechanical, Aerospace and Nuclear Engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY 12180, USA.
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30
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Zhang Y, Geng F, Wang Y, Cao J. Textural modification of Chinese traditional stewed pig trotter: Effect of acid or alkaline-induced degradation of collagen fibers. J Texture Stud 2022; 54:268-275. [PMID: 36502368 DOI: 10.1111/jtxs.12735] [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: 10/11/2022] [Revised: 12/05/2022] [Accepted: 12/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
This study aimed to investigate the effects of acid or alkaline treatments on the textural properties of Chinese traditional stewed pig trotter in relation to the degradation of collagen fibers. Pig trotters were subjected to different pHs of 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 and then stewed at 95°C for 60 min. Textural parameters (springiness, chewiness, hardness, and gumminess) of pig trotters and Raman spectroscopy, cross-links, decorin, and glycosaminoglycans contents of collagen fibers were assessed. The acid or alkaline treatments at pH 4, 5, 6, and 8 improved the textural properties evidenced by lower chewiness, hardness, and gumminess, and promoted the unfolding of the secondary structure evidenced by a loss of α-helix paralleled with an increase of random coil, as well as induced a breakage to the covalent cross-links evidenced by the reduction of cross-links, decorin, and glycosaminoglycans. This study thus concluded positive effects of acid or alkaline treatments on the textural modification of Chinese traditional stewed pig trotter in relation to the induced degradation of the collagen fibers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuemei Zhang
- Beijing Engineering and Technology Research Center of Food Additives, School of Food and Health, Beijing Technology and Business University, Beijing, China
| | - Fang Geng
- Meat Processing Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, School of Food and Biological Engineering, Chengdu University, Chengdu, China
| | - Ying Wang
- Beijing Engineering and Technology Research Center of Food Additives, School of Food and Health, Beijing Technology and Business University, Beijing, China
| | - Jinxuan Cao
- Beijing Engineering and Technology Research Center of Food Additives, School of Food and Health, Beijing Technology and Business University, Beijing, China
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31
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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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32
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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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Dickerson DA. Advancing Engineered Heart Muscle Tissue Complexity with Hydrogel Composites. Adv Biol (Weinh) 2022; 7:e2200067. [PMID: 35999488 DOI: 10.1002/adbi.202200067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2022] [Revised: 07/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
A heart attack results in the permanent loss of heart muscle and can lead to heart disease, which kills more than 7 million people worldwide each year. To date, outside of heart transplantation, current clinical treatments cannot regenerate lost heart muscle or restore full function to the damaged heart. There is a critical need to create engineered heart tissues with structural complexity and functional capacity needed to replace damaged heart muscle. The inextricable link between structure and function suggests that hydrogel composites hold tremendous promise as a biomaterial-guided strategy to advance heart muscle tissue engineering. Such composites provide biophysical cues and functionality as a provisional extracellular matrix that hydrogels cannot on their own. This review describes the latest advances in the characterization of these biomaterial systems and using them for heart muscle tissue engineering. The review integrates results across the field to provide new insights on critical features within hydrogel composites and perspectives on the next steps to harnessing these promising biomaterials to faithfully reproduce the complex structure and function of native heart muscle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Darryl A. Dickerson
- Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering Florida International University 10555 West Flagler St Miami FL 33174 USA
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35
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Ruiz-Franco J, van Der Gucht J. Force Transmission in Disordered Fibre Networks. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:931776. [PMID: 35846368 PMCID: PMC9280074 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.931776] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2022] [Accepted: 06/06/2022] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Cells residing in living tissues apply forces to their immediate surroundings to promote the restructuration of the extracellular matrix fibres and to transmit mechanical signals to other cells. Here we use a minimalist model to study how these forces, applied locally by cell contraction, propagate through the fibrous network in the extracellular matrix. In particular, we characterize how the transmission of forces is influenced by the connectivity of the network and by the bending rigidity of the fibers. For highly connected fiber networks the stresses spread out isotropically around the cell over a distance that first increases with increasing contraction of the cell and then saturates at a characteristic length. For lower connectivity, however, the stress pattern is highly asymmetric and is characterised by force chains that can transmit stresses over very long distances. We hope that our analysis of force transmission in fibrous networks can provide a new avenue for future studies on how the mechanical feedback between the cell and the ECM is coupled with the microscopic environment around the cells.
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36
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Ahmed A, Mansouri M, Joshi IM, Byerley AM, Day SW, Gaborski TR, Abhyankar VV. Local extensional flows promote long-range fiber alignment in 3D collagen hydrogels. Biofabrication 2022; 14. [PMID: 35735228 DOI: 10.1088/1758-5090/ac7824] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2022] [Accepted: 06/13/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Randomly oriented type I collagen (COL1) fibers in the extracellular matrix are reorganized by biophysical forces into aligned domains extending several millimeters and with varying degrees of fiber alignment. These aligned fibers can transmit traction forces, guide tumor cell migration, facilitate angiogenesis, and influence tissue morphogenesis. To create aligned COL1 domains in microfluidic cell culture models, shear flows have been used to align thin COL1 matrices (<50µm in height) in a microchannel. However, there has been limited investigation into the role of shear flows in aligning 3D hydrogels (>130µm). Here, we show that pure shear flows do not induce fiber alignment in 3D atelo COL1 hydrogels, but the simple addition of local extensional flow promotes alignment that is maintained across several millimeters, with a degree of alignment directly related to the extensional strain rate. We further advance experimental capabilities by addressing the practical challenge of accessing a 3D hydrogel formed within a microchannel by introducing a magnetically coupled modular platform that can be released to expose the microengineered hydrogel. We demonstrate the platform's capability to pattern cells and fabricate multi-layered COL1 matrices using layer-by-layer fabrication and specialized modules. Our approach provides an easy-to-use fabrication method to achieve advanced hydrogel microengineering capabilities that combine fiber alignment with biofabrication capabilities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adeel Ahmed
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, NY, 14623, United States of America
| | - Mehran Mansouri
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, NY, 14623, United States of America
| | - Indranil M Joshi
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, NY, 14623, United States of America
| | - Ann M Byerley
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, NY, 14623, United States of America
| | - Steven W Day
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, NY, 14623, United States of America
| | - Thomas R Gaborski
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, NY, 14623, United States of America
| | - Vinay V Abhyankar
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, NY, 14623, United States of America
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37
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Lin Y, Wang Y, Jin G, Duan J, Zhang Y, Cao J. The Texture Change of Chinese Traditional Pig Trotter with Soy Sauce during Stewing Processing: Based on a Thermal Degradation Model of Collagen Fibers. Foods 2022; 11:foods11121772. [PMID: 35741970 PMCID: PMC9223209 DOI: 10.3390/foods11121772] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2022] [Revised: 05/29/2022] [Accepted: 06/10/2022] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
In order to clarify the influence of the thermal degradation of collagen fibers on the texture profile analysis (TPA) parameters of pig trotter stewed with soy sauce (PTSWSS), TPA (springiness, chewiness, hardness, and gumminess), the secondary structures, the cross-linkage, decorin (DCN) and glycosaminoglycan (GAG) levels, and the histochemical morphology of collagen fibers during the stewing process (0, 30, 60, 120 min) were assessed. The springiness and hardness increased after 30 min of stewing, along with the denaturation of collagen proteins. TPA parameters improved with the prolonged stewing times of 60 and 120 min, along with the ultra-structural dissolution of collagen fibers, and a substantial reduction in cross-linkage, DCN, and GAG levels, and the unfolded triple-helix structure. This study concluded that the TPA parameters of PTSWSS were dependent on the stewing time, and that the improvement in TPA parameters with longer stewing time could primarily be attributed to the thermal degradation of collagen fibers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuhai Lin
- Hormel (China) Investment Co., Ltd., Jiaxing 314001, China; (Y.L.); (J.D.)
- School of Food and Health, Beijing Technology and Business University, Beijing 100048, China; (Y.W.); (G.J.); (Y.Z.)
| | - Ying Wang
- School of Food and Health, Beijing Technology and Business University, Beijing 100048, China; (Y.W.); (G.J.); (Y.Z.)
| | - Guofeng Jin
- School of Food and Health, Beijing Technology and Business University, Beijing 100048, China; (Y.W.); (G.J.); (Y.Z.)
| | - Junjie Duan
- Hormel (China) Investment Co., Ltd., Jiaxing 314001, China; (Y.L.); (J.D.)
| | - Yuemei Zhang
- School of Food and Health, Beijing Technology and Business University, Beijing 100048, China; (Y.W.); (G.J.); (Y.Z.)
| | - Jinxuan Cao
- School of Food and Health, Beijing Technology and Business University, Beijing 100048, China; (Y.W.); (G.J.); (Y.Z.)
- College of Food and Biological Engineering, Chengdu University, Chengdu 610106, China
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +86-18758823803
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38
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Li Y, Li Y, Prince E, Weitz JI, Panyukov S, Ramachandran A, Rubinstein M, Kumacheva E. Fibrous hydrogels under biaxial confinement. Nat Commun 2022; 13:3264. [PMID: 35672320 PMCID: PMC9174476 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-30980-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2022] [Accepted: 05/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Confinement of fibrous hydrogels in narrow capillaries is of great importance in biological and biomedical systems. Stretching and uniaxial compression of fibrous hydrogels have been extensively studied; however, their response to biaxial confinement in capillaries remains unexplored. Here, we show experimentally and theoretically that due to the asymmetry in the mechanical properties of the constituent filaments that are soft upon compression and stiff upon extension, filamentous gels respond to confinement in a qualitatively different manner than flexible-strand gels. Under strong confinement, fibrous gels exhibit a weak elongation and an asymptotic decrease to zero of their biaxial Poisson's ratio, which results in strong gel densification and a weak flux of liquid through the gel. These results shed light on the resistance of strained occlusive clots to lysis with therapeutic agents and stimulate the development of effective endovascular plugs from gels with fibrous structures for stopping vascular bleeding or suppressing blood supply to tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Li
- Department of Chemical Engineering & Applied Chemistry, University of Toronto, 200 College Street, Toronto, ON, M5S 3E5, Canada
- Department of Orthopaedics, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Heidelberglaan 100, 3584 CX, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Yunfeng Li
- Department of Chemistry, University of Toronto, 80 Saint George Street, Toronto, ON, M5S 3H6, Canada
- State Key Laboratory of Supramolecular Structure and Materials, College of Chemistry, Jilin University, 2699 Qianjin Street, Changchun, 130012, China
| | - Elisabeth Prince
- Department of Chemistry, University of Toronto, 80 Saint George Street, Toronto, ON, M5S 3H6, Canada
- Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 88 Ames Street, Apartment 306, Cambridge, MA, 02142, USA
| | - Jeffrey I Weitz
- Thrombosis and Atherosclerosis Research Institute, 237 Barton Street East, Hamilton, L8L 2 × 2, ON, Canada
- Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, ON, L8S 4K1, Canada
- Department of Medicine, McMaster University, 1200 Main Street West, Hamilton, ON, L8N 3Z5, Canada
| | - Sergey Panyukov
- P. N. Lebedev Physics Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, 53 Leninskiy Prospekt, Moscow, 119991, Russian Federation
| | - Arun Ramachandran
- Department of Chemical Engineering & Applied Chemistry, University of Toronto, 200 College Street, Toronto, ON, M5S 3E5, Canada.
| | - Michael Rubinstein
- Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27708, USA.
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27708, USA.
- Department of Chemistry, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27708, USA.
- Department of Physics, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27708, USA.
- World Primer Institute for Chemical Reaction Design and Discovery (WPI-ICReDD), Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Hokkaido, 001-0021, Japan.
| | - Eugenia Kumacheva
- Department of Chemical Engineering & Applied Chemistry, University of Toronto, 200 College Street, Toronto, ON, M5S 3E5, Canada.
- Department of Chemistry, University of Toronto, 80 Saint George Street, Toronto, ON, M5S 3H6, Canada.
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, 164 College Street, Toronto, ON, M5S 3G9, Canada.
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39
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LaBelle SA, Dinkins SS, Hoying JB, Budko EV, Rauff A, Strobel HA, Lin AH, Weiss JA. Matrix anisotropy promotes angiogenesis in a density-dependent manner. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol 2022; 322:H806-H818. [PMID: 35333118 PMCID: PMC8993529 DOI: 10.1152/ajpheart.00072.2022] [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] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2022] [Revised: 03/16/2022] [Accepted: 03/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Angiogenesis is necessary for wound healing, tumorigenesis, implant inosculation, and homeostasis. In each situation, matrix structure and mechanics play a role in determining whether new vasculatures can establish transport to new or hypoxic tissues. Neovessel growth and directional guidance are sensitive to three-dimensional (3-D) matrix anisotropy and density, although the individual and integrated roles of these matrix features have not been fully recapitulated in vitro. We developed a tension-based method to align 3-D collagen constructs seeded with microvessel fragments in matrices of three levels of collagen fibril anisotropy and two levels of collagen density. The extent and direction of neovessel growth from the parent microvessel fragments increased with matrix anisotropy and decreased with density. The proangiogenic effects of anisotropy were attenuated at higher matrix densities. We also examined the impact of matrix anisotropy in an experimental model of neovessel invasion across a tissue interface. Matrix density was found to dictate the success of interface crossing, whereas interface curvature and fibril alignment were found to control directional guidance. Our findings indicate that complex configurations of matrix density and alignment can facilitate or complicate the establishment or maintenance of vascular networks in pathological and homeostatic angiogenesis. Furthermore, we extend preexisting methods for tuning collagen anisotropy in thick constructs. This approach addresses gaps in tissue engineering and cell culture by supporting the inclusion of large multicellular structures in prealigned constructs.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Matrix anisotropy and density have a considerable effect on angiogenic vessel growth and directional guidance. However, the current literature relies on 2-D and simplified models of angiogenesis (e.g., tubulogenesis and vasculogenesis). We present a method to align 3-D collagen scaffolds embedded with microvessel fragments to different levels of anisotropy. Neovessel growth increases with anisotropy and decreases with density, which may guide angiogenic neovessels across tissue interfaces such as during implant inosculation and tumorigenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven A LaBelle
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah
- Scientific Computing and Imaging Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah
| | - Shad S Dinkins
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah
- Scientific Computing and Imaging Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah
| | - James B Hoying
- Advanced Solutions Life Sciences, Manchester, New Hampshire
| | - Elena V Budko
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah
| | - Adam Rauff
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah
- Scientific Computing and Imaging Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah
| | | | - Allen H Lin
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah
- Scientific Computing and Imaging Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah
| | - Jeffrey A Weiss
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah
- Scientific Computing and Imaging Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah
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40
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Tauber J, van der Gucht J, Dussi S. Stretchy and disordered: Toward understanding fracture in soft network materials via mesoscopic computer simulations. J Chem Phys 2022; 156:160901. [PMID: 35490006 DOI: 10.1063/5.0081316] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Soft network materials exist in numerous forms ranging from polymer networks, such as elastomers, to fiber networks, such as collagen. In addition, in colloidal gels, an underlying network structure can be identified, and several metamaterials and textiles can be considered network materials as well. Many of these materials share a highly disordered microstructure and can undergo large deformations before damage becomes visible at the macroscopic level. Despite their widespread presence, we still lack a clear picture of how the network structure controls the fracture processes of these soft materials. In this Perspective, we will focus on progress and open questions concerning fracture at the mesoscopic scale, in which the network architecture is clearly resolved, but neither the material-specific atomistic features nor the macroscopic sample geometries are considered. We will describe concepts regarding the network elastic response that have been established in recent years and turn out to be pre-requisites to understand the fracture response. We will mostly consider simulation studies, where the influence of specific network features on the material mechanics can be cleanly assessed. Rather than focusing on specific systems, we will discuss future challenges that should be addressed to gain new fundamental insights that would be relevant across several examples of soft network materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justin Tauber
- Physical Chemistry and Soft Matter, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Jasper van der Gucht
- Physical Chemistry and Soft Matter, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Simone Dussi
- Physical Chemistry and Soft Matter, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands
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41
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Imaging the Vitreous with a Novel Boosted Optical Coherence Tomography Technique: Posterior Vitreous Detachment. Retina 2022; 42:1425-1432. [DOI: 10.1097/iae.0000000000003500] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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42
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Merson J, Picu RC. Random Fiber Network Loaded by a Point Force. JOURNAL OF APPLIED MECHANICS 2022; 89:044501. [PMID: 35783110 PMCID: PMC9247584 DOI: 10.1115/1.4053329] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
This article presents the displacement field produced by a point force acting on an athermal random fiber network (the Green function for the network). The problem is defined within the limits of linear elasticity, and the field is obtained numerically for nonaffine networks characterized by various parameter sets. The classical Green function solution applies at distances from the point force larger than a threshold which is independent of the network parameters in the range studied. At smaller distances, the nonlocal nature of fiber interactions modifies the solution.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Merson
- Department of Mechanical, Aerospace and Nuclear Engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY 12180
| | - R C Picu
- Department of Mechanical, Aerospace and Nuclear Engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY 12180
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43
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Basaran M, Yaman YI, Yüce TC, Vetter R, Kocabas A. Large-scale orientational order in bacterial colonies during inward growth. eLife 2022; 11:72187. [PMID: 35254257 PMCID: PMC8963879 DOI: 10.7554/elife.72187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2021] [Accepted: 02/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
During colony growth, complex interactions regulate the bacterial orientation, leading to the formation of large-scale ordered structures, including topological defects, microdomains, and branches. These structures may benefit bacterial strains, providing invasive advantages during colonization. Active matter dynamics of growing colonies drives the emergence of these ordered structures. However, additional biomechanical factors also play a significant role during this process. Here, we show that the velocity profile of growing colonies creates strong radial orientation during inward growth when crowded populations invade a closed area. During this process, growth geometry sets virtual confinement and dictates the velocity profile. Herein, flow-induced alignment and torque balance on the rod-shaped bacteria result in a new stable orientational equilibrium in the radial direction. Our analysis revealed that the dynamics of these radially oriented structures, also known as aster defects, depend on bacterial length and can promote the survival of the longest bacteria around localized nutritional hotspots. The present results indicate a new mechanism underlying structural order and provide mechanistic insights into the dynamics of bacterial growth on complex surfaces.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Y Ilker Yaman
- Department of Physics, Koç University, Istanbul, Turkey
| | | | - Roman Vetter
- Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, ETH Zurich, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Askin Kocabas
- Department of Physics, Koç University, Istanbul, Turkey
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44
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Mierke CT. Viscoelasticity, Like Forces, Plays a Role in Mechanotransduction. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:789841. [PMID: 35223831 PMCID: PMC8864183 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.789841] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2021] [Accepted: 01/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Viscoelasticity and its alteration in time and space has turned out to act as a key element in fundamental biological processes in living systems, such as morphogenesis and motility. Based on experimental and theoretical findings it can be proposed that viscoelasticity of cells, spheroids and tissues seems to be a collective characteristic that demands macromolecular, intracellular component and intercellular interactions. A major challenge is to couple the alterations in the macroscopic structural or material characteristics of cells, spheroids and tissues, such as cell and tissue phase transitions, to the microscopic interferences of their elements. Therefore, the biophysical technologies need to be improved, advanced and connected to classical biological assays. In this review, the viscoelastic nature of cytoskeletal, extracellular and cellular networks is presented and discussed. Viscoelasticity is conceptualized as a major contributor to cell migration and invasion and it is discussed whether it can serve as a biomarker for the cells' migratory capacity in several biological contexts. It can be hypothesized that the statistical mechanics of intra- and extracellular networks may be applied in the future as a powerful tool to explore quantitatively the biomechanical foundation of viscoelasticity over a broad range of time and length scales. Finally, the importance of the cellular viscoelasticity is illustrated in identifying and characterizing multiple disorders, such as cancer, tissue injuries, acute or chronic inflammations or fibrotic diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Tanja Mierke
- Faculty of Physics and Earth Science, Peter Debye Institute of Soft Matter Physics, Biological Physics Division, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
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45
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Trout RM, Gnanatheepam E, Gado A, Reik C, Ramella-Roman JC, Hunter M, Schnelldorfer T, Georgakoudi I. Polarization enhanced laparoscope for improved visualization of tissue structural changes associated with peritoneal cancer metastasis. BIOMEDICAL OPTICS EXPRESS 2022; 13:571-589. [PMID: 35284190 PMCID: PMC8884200 DOI: 10.1364/boe.443926] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2021] [Revised: 12/17/2021] [Accepted: 12/20/2021] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
A polarization enhanced laparoscopy (PEL) imaging system was developed to examine the feasibility of utilizing PEL to augment conventional white light laparoscopy (WLL) in the visualization of peritoneal cancer metastases. The system includes a modified tip to illuminate tissue with linearly polarized light and elements in the detection path enabling recording of corresponding images linearly co- and cross-polarized relative to the incident light. WLL and PEL images from optical tissue phantoms with features of distinct scattering cross-section confirm the enhanced sensitivity of PEL to such characteristics. Additional comparisons based on images acquired from collagen gels with different levels of fiber alignment highlight another source of PEL contrast. Finally, PEL and WLL images of ex vivo human tissue illustrate the potential of PEL to improve visualization of cancerous tissue surrounded by healthy peritoneum. Given the simplicity of the approach and its potential for seamless integration with current clinical practice, our results provide motivation for clinical translation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert M. Trout
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tufts University, 200 College Ave, Medford, MA 01255, USA
| | - Einstein Gnanatheepam
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tufts University, 200 College Ave, Medford, MA 01255, USA
| | - Ahmed Gado
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tufts University, 200 College Ave, Medford, MA 01255, USA
| | - Christopher Reik
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tufts University, 200 College Ave, Medford, MA 01255, USA
| | | | - Martin Hunter
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Massachusetts at Amherst, Amherst, MA, USA
| | - Thomas Schnelldorfer
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tufts University, 200 College Ave, Medford, MA 01255, USA
- Division of Surgical Oncology, Tufts Medical Center, 800 Washington St, Boston, MA 02111, USA
- Contributed equally
| | - Irene Georgakoudi
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tufts University, 200 College Ave, Medford, MA 01255, USA
- Contributed equally
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46
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Raghuraman S, Schubert A, Bröker S, Jurado A, Müller A, Brandt M, Vos BE, Hofemeier AD, Abbasi F, Stehling M, Wittkowski R, Ivaska J, Betz T. Pressure Drives Rapid Burst-Like Coordinated Cellular Motion from 3D Cancer Aggregates. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2022; 9:e2104808. [PMID: 34994086 PMCID: PMC8867140 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202104808] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2021] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
A key behavior observed during morphogenesis, wound healing, and cancer invasion is that of collective and coordinated cellular motion. Hence, understanding the different aspects of such coordinated migration is fundamental for describing and treating cancer and other pathological defects. In general, individual cells exert forces on their environment in order to move, and collective motion is coordinated by cell-cell adhesion-based forces. However, this notion ignores other mechanisms that encourage cellular movement, such as pressure differences. Here, using model tumors, it is found that increased pressure drove coordinated cellular motion independent of cell-cell adhesion by triggering cell swelling in a soft extracellular matrix (ECM). In the resulting phenotype, a rapid burst-like stream of cervical cancer cells emerged from 3D aggregates embedded in soft collagen matrices (0.5 mg mL-1 ). This fluid-like pushing mechanism, recorded within 8 h after embedding, shows high cell velocities and super-diffusive motion. Because the swelling in this model system critically depends on integrin-mediated cell-ECM adhesions and cellular contractility, the swelling is likely triggered by unsustained mechanotransduction, providing new evidence that pressure-driven effects must be considered to more completely understand the mechanical forces involved in cell and tissue movement as well as invasion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Swetha Raghuraman
- Institute of Cell BiologyZMBEUniversity of MünsterVon‐Esmarch‐Straße 56D‐48149MünsterGermany
| | - Ann‐Sophie Schubert
- Institute of Cell BiologyZMBEUniversity of MünsterVon‐Esmarch‐Straße 56D‐48149MünsterGermany
| | - Stephan Bröker
- Institute of Theoretical PhysicsCenter for Soft NanoscienceUniversity of MünsterBusso‐Peus‐Str. 10D‐48149MünsterGermany
| | - Alejandro Jurado
- Institute of Cell BiologyZMBEUniversity of MünsterVon‐Esmarch‐Straße 56D‐48149MünsterGermany
- Third Physical InstituteUniversity of GöttingenFriedrich‐Hund‐Platz 1D‐37077GöttingenGermany
| | - Annika Müller
- Institute of Cell BiologyZMBEUniversity of MünsterVon‐Esmarch‐Straße 56D‐48149MünsterGermany
| | - Matthias Brandt
- Institute of Cell BiologyZMBEUniversity of MünsterVon‐Esmarch‐Straße 56D‐48149MünsterGermany
| | - Bart E. Vos
- Institute of Cell BiologyZMBEUniversity of MünsterVon‐Esmarch‐Straße 56D‐48149MünsterGermany
- Third Physical InstituteUniversity of GöttingenFriedrich‐Hund‐Platz 1D‐37077GöttingenGermany
| | - Arne D. Hofemeier
- Institute of Cell BiologyZMBEUniversity of MünsterVon‐Esmarch‐Straße 56D‐48149MünsterGermany
| | - Fatemeh Abbasi
- Institute of Cell BiologyZMBEUniversity of MünsterVon‐Esmarch‐Straße 56D‐48149MünsterGermany
- Third Physical InstituteUniversity of GöttingenFriedrich‐Hund‐Platz 1D‐37077GöttingenGermany
| | - Martin Stehling
- Max Planck Institute for Molecular BiomedicineRöntgenstraße 20D‐48149MünsterGermany
| | - Raphael Wittkowski
- Institute of Theoretical PhysicsCenter for Soft NanoscienceUniversity of MünsterBusso‐Peus‐Str. 10D‐48149MünsterGermany
| | - Johanna Ivaska
- Turku Biosience CentreUniversity of Turku and Åbo Akademi UniversityTurkuFI‐20520Finland
- Department of Life TechnologiesUniversity of TurkuTurkuFI‐20520Finland
| | - Timo Betz
- Institute of Cell BiologyZMBEUniversity of MünsterVon‐Esmarch‐Straße 56D‐48149MünsterGermany
- Third Physical InstituteUniversity of GöttingenFriedrich‐Hund‐Platz 1D‐37077GöttingenGermany
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47
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Engineering tumor stromal mechanics for improved T cell therapy. Biochim Biophys Acta Gen Subj 2022; 1866:130095. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbagen.2022.130095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2021] [Revised: 12/23/2021] [Accepted: 01/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
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48
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Mierke CT. Viscoelasticity Acts as a Marker for Tumor Extracellular Matrix Characteristics. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:785138. [PMID: 34950661 PMCID: PMC8691700 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.785138] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2021] [Accepted: 11/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Biological materials such as extracellular matrix scaffolds, cancer cells, and tissues are often assumed to respond elastically for simplicity; the viscoelastic response is quite commonly ignored. Extracellular matrix mechanics including the viscoelasticity has turned out to be a key feature of cellular behavior and the entire shape and function of healthy and diseased tissues, such as cancer. The interference of cells with their local microenvironment and the interaction among different cell types relies both on the mechanical phenotype of each involved element. However, there is still not yet clearly understood how viscoelasticity alters the functional phenotype of the tumor extracellular matrix environment. Especially the biophysical technologies are still under ongoing improvement and further development. In addition, the effect of matrix mechanics in the progression of cancer is the subject of discussion. Hence, the topic of this review is especially attractive to collect the existing endeavors to characterize the viscoelastic features of tumor extracellular matrices and to briefly highlight the present frontiers in cancer progression and escape of cancers from therapy. Finally, this review article illustrates the importance of the tumor extracellular matrix mechano-phenotype, including the phenomenon viscoelasticity in identifying, characterizing, and treating specific cancer types.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Tanja Mierke
- Faculty of Physics and Earth Science, Peter Debye Institute of Soft Matter Physics, Biological Physics Division, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
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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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50
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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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