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In vitro cell stretching devices and their applications: From cardiomyogenic differentiation to tissue engineering. MEDICINE IN NOVEL TECHNOLOGY AND DEVICES 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.medntd.2023.100220] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/06/2023] Open
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2
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Lai MW, Chow N, Checco A, Kunar B, Redmond D, Rafii S, Rabbany SY. Systems Biology Analysis of Temporal Dynamics That Govern Endothelial Response to Cyclic Stretch. Biomolecules 2022; 12:biom12121837. [PMID: 36551265 PMCID: PMC9775567 DOI: 10.3390/biom12121837] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2022] [Revised: 11/23/2022] [Accepted: 11/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Endothelial cells in vivo are subjected to a wide array of mechanical stimuli, such as cyclic stretch. Notably, a 10% stretch is associated with an atheroprotective endothelial phenotype, while a 20% stretch is associated with an atheroprone endothelial phenotype. Here, a systems biology-based approach is used to present a comprehensive overview of the functional responses and molecular regulatory networks that characterize the transition from an atheroprotective to an atheroprone phenotype in response to cyclic stretch. Using primary human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs), we determined the role of the equibiaxial cyclic stretch in vitro, with changes to the radius of the magnitudes of 10% and 20%, which are representative of physiological and pathological strain, respectively. Following the transcriptome analysis of next-generation sequencing data, we identified four key endothelial responses to pathological cyclic stretch: cell cycle regulation, inflammatory response, fatty acid metabolism, and mTOR signaling, driven by a regulatory network of eight transcription factors. Our study highlights the dynamic regulation of several key stretch-sensitive endothelial functions relevant to the induction of an atheroprone versus an atheroprotective phenotype and lays the foundation for further investigation into the mechanisms governing vascular pathology. This study has significant implications for the development of treatment modalities for vascular disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael W. Lai
- Bioengineering Program, DeMatteis School of Engineering and Applied Science, Hofstra University, New York, NY 11549, USA
| | - Nathan Chow
- Bioengineering Program, DeMatteis School of Engineering and Applied Science, Hofstra University, New York, NY 11549, USA
| | - Antonio Checco
- Bioengineering Program, DeMatteis School of Engineering and Applied Science, Hofstra University, New York, NY 11549, USA
| | - Balvir Kunar
- Division of Regenerative Medicine, Ansary Stem Cell Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine (WCM), New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - David Redmond
- Division of Regenerative Medicine, Ansary Stem Cell Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine (WCM), New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Shahin Rafii
- Division of Regenerative Medicine, Ansary Stem Cell Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine (WCM), New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Sina Y. Rabbany
- Bioengineering Program, DeMatteis School of Engineering and Applied Science, Hofstra University, New York, NY 11549, USA
- Division of Regenerative Medicine, Ansary Stem Cell Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine (WCM), New York, NY 10065, USA
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-516-463-6672
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Jensen LF, Bentzon JF, Albarrán-Juárez J. The Phenotypic Responses of Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells Exposed to Mechanical Cues. Cells 2021; 10:2209. [PMID: 34571858 PMCID: PMC8469800 DOI: 10.3390/cells10092209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2021] [Revised: 08/17/2021] [Accepted: 08/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
During the development of atherosclerosis and other vascular diseases, vascular smooth muscle cells (SMCs) located in the intima and media of blood vessels shift from a contractile state towards other phenotypes that differ substantially from differentiated SMCs. In addition, these cells acquire new functions, such as the production of alternative extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins and signal molecules. A similar shift in cell phenotype is observed when SMCs are removed from their native environment and placed in a culture, presumably due to the absence of the physiological signals that maintain and regulate the SMC phenotype in the vasculature. The far majority of studies describing SMC functions have been performed under standard culture conditions in which cells adhere to a rigid and static plastic plate. While these studies have contributed to discovering key molecular pathways regulating SMCs, they have a significant limitation: the ECM microenvironment and the mechanical forces transmitted through the matrix to SMCs are generally not considered. Here, we review and discuss the recent literature on how the mechanical forces and derived biochemical signals have been shown to modulate the vascular SMC phenotype and provide new perspectives about their importance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lise Filt Jensen
- Atherosclerosis Research Unit, Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, 8200 Aarhus, Denmark; (L.F.J.); (J.F.B.)
| | - Jacob Fog Bentzon
- Atherosclerosis Research Unit, Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, 8200 Aarhus, Denmark; (L.F.J.); (J.F.B.)
- Experimental Pathology of Atherosclerosis Laboratory, Spanish National Center for Cardiovascular Research (CNIC), 28029 Madrid, Spain
- Steno Diabetes Center Aarhus, Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, 8200 Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Julian Albarrán-Juárez
- Atherosclerosis Research Unit, Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, 8200 Aarhus, Denmark; (L.F.J.); (J.F.B.)
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A Fully Integrated Arduino-Based System for the Application of Stretching Stimuli to Living Cells and Their Time-Lapse Observation: A Do-It-Yourself Biology Approach. Ann Biomed Eng 2021; 49:2243-2259. [PMID: 33728867 DOI: 10.1007/s10439-021-02758-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2020] [Accepted: 02/20/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Mechanobiology has nowadays acquired the status of a topic of fundamental importance in a degree in Biological Sciences. It is inherently a multidisciplinary topic where biology, physics and engineering competences are required. A course in mechanobiology should include lab experiences where students can appreciate how mechanical stimuli from outside affect living cell behaviour. Here we describe all the steps to build a cell stretcher inside an on-stage cell incubator. This device allows exposing living cells to a periodic mechanical stimulus similar to what happens in physiological conditions such as, for example, in the vascular system or in the lungs. The reaction of the cells to the periodic mechanical stretching represents a prototype of a mechanobiological signal integrated by living cells. We also provide the theoretical and experimental aspects related to the calibration of the stretcher apparatus at a level accessible to researchers not used to dealing with topics like continuum mechanics and analysis of deformations. We tested our device by stretching cells of two different lines, U87-MG and Balb-3T3 cells, and we analysed and discussed the effect of the periodic stimulus on both cell reorientation and migration. We also discuss the basic aspects related to the quantitative analysis of the reorientation process and of cell migration. We think that the device we propose can be easily reproduced at low-cost within a project-oriented course in the fields of biology, biotechnology and medical engineering.
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Cell stretchers and the LINC complex in mechanotransduction. Arch Biochem Biophys 2021; 702:108829. [PMID: 33716002 DOI: 10.1016/j.abb.2021.108829] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2021] [Revised: 02/23/2021] [Accepted: 03/07/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
How cells respond to mechanical forces from the surrounding environment is critical for cell survival and function. The LINC complex is a central component in the mechanotransduction pathway that transmits mechanical information from the cell surface to the nucleus. Through LINC complex functionality, the nucleus is able to respond to mechanical stress by altering nuclear structure, chromatin organization, and gene expression. The use of specialized devices that apply mechanical strain to cells have been central to investigating how mechanotransduction occurs, how cells respond to mechanical stress, and the role of the LINC complexes in these processes. A large variety of designs have been reported for these devices, with the most common type being cell stretchers. Here we highlight some of the salient features of cell stretchers and suggest some key parameters that should be considered when using these devices. We provide a brief overview of how the LINC complexes contribute to the cellular responses to mechanical strain. And finally, we suggest that stretchers may be a useful tool to study aging.
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6
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He Y, Mao T, Gu Y, Yang Y, Ding J. A simplified yet enhanced and versatile microfluidic platform for cyclic cell stretching on an elastic polymer. Biofabrication 2020; 12:045032. [DOI: 10.1088/1758-5090/abb295] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
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7
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Meng L, Xue G, Liu Q, Xie T, Fan D, Gou X. In-situ electromechanical testing and loading system for dynamic cell-biomaterial interaction study. Biomed Microdevices 2020; 22:56. [PMID: 32821970 DOI: 10.1007/s10544-020-00514-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
The mechanical and electrical properties of biomaterials are essential in cell function regulation during cell-biomaterial interaction. However, previous studies focused on probing cell regulation mechanisms under one type of stimulus, and a platform that enables the study of electromechanical coupling effects of a biomaterial on cells is still lacking. Here, we present an in-situ electromechanical testing and loading system to image live cells when co-cultured with electroactive biomaterials. The system can provide accurate and repeatable stretch on biomaterials and cells to mimic in vivo tension microenvironment. Besides, the integrated displacement transducer, force sensor, and electrical signal detector enable the real time detection of electromechanical signals on electroactive biomaterials under various stretch loading. Combined with a microscope, live cell imaging can be realized to probe cell behavior. The feasibility of the system is validated by culturing mesenchymal stem cells on piezoelectric nanofiber and conductive hydrogel. Experiment results show the device as a reliable and accurate tool to investigate electromechanical properties of biomaterials and probe essential features of live cells. Our system provides a way to correlate cell behavior with electromechanical cues directly and is useful for exploration of cell function during cell-biomaterial interaction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lingda Meng
- Key Laboratory of Advanced Technologies of Materials (Ministry of Education), and Institute of Material Dynamics, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610031, People's Republic of China
| | - Guilan Xue
- Key Laboratory of Advanced Technologies of Materials (Ministry of Education), and Institute of Material Dynamics, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610031, People's Republic of China
| | - Qingjie Liu
- Key Laboratory of Advanced Technologies of Materials (Ministry of Education), and Institute of Material Dynamics, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610031, People's Republic of China
| | - Tianpeng Xie
- Key Laboratory of Advanced Technologies of Materials (Ministry of Education), and Institute of Material Dynamics, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610031, People's Republic of China
| | - Duan Fan
- The Peac Institute of Multiscale Sciences, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610031, People's Republic of China.
| | - Xue Gou
- Key Laboratory of Advanced Technologies of Materials (Ministry of Education), and Institute of Material Dynamics, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610031, People's Republic of China.
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Sakthivel K, Kumar H, Mohamed MGA, Talebjedi B, Shim J, Najjaran H, Hoorfar M, Kim K. High Throughput Screening of Cell Mechanical Response Using a Stretchable 3D Cellular Microarray Platform. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2020; 16:e2000941. [PMID: 32588966 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202000941] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2020] [Revised: 05/10/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Cells in vivo are constantly subjected to multiple microenvironmental mechanical stimuli that regulate cell function. Although 2D cell responses to the mechanical stimulation have been established, these methods lack relevance as physiological cell microenvironments are in 3D. Moreover, the existing platforms developed for studying the cell responses to mechanical cues in 3D either offer low-throughput, involve complex fabrication, or do not allow combinatorial analysis of multiple cues. Considering this, a stretchable high-throughput (HT) 3D cell microarray platform is presented that can apply dynamic mechanical strain to cells encapsulated in arrayed 3D microgels. The platform uses inkjet-bioprinting technique for printing cell-laden gelatin methacrylate (GelMA) microgel array on an elastic composite substrate that is periodically stretched. The developed platform is highly biocompatible and transfers the applied strain from the stretched substrate to the cells. The HT analysis is conducted to analyze cell mechano-responses throughout the printed microgel array. Also, the combinatorial analysis of distinct cell behaviors is conducted for different GelMA microenvironmental stiffnesses in addition to the dynamic stretch. Considering its throughput and flexibility, the developed platform can readily be scaled up to introduce a wide range of microenvironmental cues and to screen the cell responses in a HT way.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kabilan Sakthivel
- School of Engineering, University of British Columbia, Kelowna, BC, V1V 1V7, Canada
| | - Hitendra Kumar
- School of Engineering, University of British Columbia, Kelowna, BC, V1V 1V7, Canada
| | - Mohamed G A Mohamed
- School of Engineering, University of British Columbia, Kelowna, BC, V1V 1V7, Canada
| | - Bahram Talebjedi
- School of Engineering, University of British Columbia, Kelowna, BC, V1V 1V7, Canada
| | - Justin Shim
- School of Engineering, University of British Columbia, Kelowna, BC, V1V 1V7, Canada
| | - Homayoun Najjaran
- School of Engineering, University of British Columbia, Kelowna, BC, V1V 1V7, Canada
| | - Mina Hoorfar
- School of Engineering, University of British Columbia, Kelowna, BC, V1V 1V7, Canada
| | - Keekyoung Kim
- School of Engineering, University of British Columbia, Kelowna, BC, V1V 1V7, Canada
- Department of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, T2N 1N4, Canada
- Biomedical Engineering Graduate Program, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, T2N 1N4, Canada
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Dow LP, Khankhel AH, Abram J, Valentine MT. 3D-printable cell crowding device enables imaging of live cells in compression. Biotechniques 2020; 68:275-278. [PMID: 32096656 DOI: 10.2144/btn-2019-0160] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
We designed and fabricated, using low-cost 3D printing technologies, a device that enables direct control of cell density in epithelial monolayers. The device operates by varying the tension of a silicone substrate upon which the cells are adhered. Multiple devices can be manufactured easily and placed in any standard incubator. This allows long-term culturing of cells on pretensioned substrates until the user decreases the tension, thereby inducing compressive forces in plane and subsequent instantaneous cell crowding. Moreover, the low-profile device is completely portable and can be mounted directly onto an inverted optical microscope. This enables visualization of the morphology and dynamics of living cells in stretched or compressed conditions using a wide range of high-resolution microscopy techniques.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liam P Dow
- Biomolecular Science & Engineering Program, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA
| | - Aimal H Khankhel
- Biomolecular Science & Engineering Program, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA
| | - John Abram
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA
| | - Megan T Valentine
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA
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Monemian Esfahani A, Rosenbohm J, Reddy K, Jin X, Bouzid T, Riehl B, Kim E, Lim JY, Yang R. Tissue Regeneration from Mechanical Stretching of Cell-Cell Adhesion. Tissue Eng Part C Methods 2019; 25:631-640. [PMID: 31407627 PMCID: PMC6859692 DOI: 10.1089/ten.tec.2019.0098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2019] [Accepted: 08/05/2019] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Cell-cell adhesion complexes are macromolecular adhesive organelles that integrate cells into tissues. This mechanochemical coupling in cell-cell adhesion is required for a large number of cell behaviors, and perturbations of the cell-cell adhesion structure or related mechanotransduction pathways can lead to critical pathological conditions such as skin and heart diseases, arthritis, and cancer. Mechanical stretching has been a widely used method to stimulate the mechanotransduction process originating from the cell-cell adhesion and cell-extracellular matrix (ECM) complexes. These studies aimed to reveal the biophysical processes governing cell proliferation, wound healing, gene expression regulation, and cell differentiation in various tissues, including cardiac, muscle, vascular, and bone. This review explores techniques in mechanical stretching in two-dimensional settings with different stretching regimens on different cell types. The mechanotransduction responses from these different cell types will be discussed with an emphasis on their biophysical transformations during mechanical stretching and the cross talk between the cell-cell and cell-ECM adhesion complexes. Therapeutic aspects of mechanical stretching are reviewed considering these cellular responses after the application of mechanical forces, with a focus on wound healing and tissue regeneration. Impact Statement Mechanical stretching has been proposed as a therapeutic option for tissue regeneration and wound healing. It has been accepted that mechanotransduction processes elicited by mechanical stretching govern cellular response and behavior, and these studies have predominantly focused on the cell-extracellular matrix (ECM) sites. This review serves the mechanobiology community by shifting the focus of mechanical stretching effects from cell-ECM adhesions to the less examined cell-cell adhesions, which we believe play an equally important role in orchestrating the response pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amir Monemian Esfahani
- Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska
| | - Jordan Rosenbohm
- Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska
| | - Keerthana Reddy
- Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska
| | - Xiaowei Jin
- Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska
| | - Tasneem Bouzid
- Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska
| | - Brandon Riehl
- Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska
| | - Eunju Kim
- Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska
| | - Jung Yul Lim
- Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska
- Mary and Dick Holland Regenerative Medicine Program, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska
| | - Ruiguo Yang
- Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska
- Mary and Dick Holland Regenerative Medicine Program, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska
- Nebraska Center for Integrated Biomolecular Communication, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska
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Yu H, Yu W, Liu Y, Yuan X, Yuan R, Guo Q. Expression of HIF‑1α in cycling stretch‑induced osteogenic differentiation of bone mesenchymal stem cells. Mol Med Rep 2019; 20:4489-4498. [PMID: 31702030 PMCID: PMC6797986 DOI: 10.3892/mmr.2019.10715] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2018] [Accepted: 07/30/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
During orthodontic treatment, mechanical force is applied to the teeth, and following a series of complex metabolism changes, the position of the teeth in the alveolar bone change. This process is closely associated with primitive bone mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs), which may differentiate into osteoblasts precursor cell. A hypoxic microenvironment may be caused by orthodontic mechanical forces between the alveolar bone and the root. Hypoxia-inducible factor 1α (HIF-1α) is a specific receptor that adapts to a hypoxic environment. The present study was designed to investigate whether HIF-1α was involved in the osteoblastic differentiation of BMSCs induced by cyclic tensile stress. During this process, HIF-1α mRNA and protein expression were detected using a reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction and western blotting. It was revealed that alkaline phosphatase activity increased in a time-dependent manner in three different stretching strength groups, which indicates that cyclic stretch promotes the osteogenic differentiation of BMSCs. The optimal force stage of osteogenesis was an unexpected discovery, which will provide theoretical guidance for selecting the most suitable orthodontic force for tooth movement in clinical orthodontic treatment. Most importantly, all experiments revealed that HIF-1α mRNA and protein were significantly increased following stretching treatment in BMSCs. It was therefore concluded that HIF-1α may be involved in BMSCs modulating osteogenic metabolism during exposure to cyclic stretch and a hypoxic microenvironment, which may prove useful for the reconstruction of a jaw during orthodontic treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haibo Yu
- Department of Stomatology, The Affiliated Qingdao Municipal Hospital, Qingdao University, Qingdao, Shandong 266011, P.R. China
| | - Wenyi Yu
- Department of Stomatology, The Affiliated Qingdao Municipal Hospital, Qingdao University, Qingdao, Shandong 266011, P.R. China
| | - Ying Liu
- Department of Stomatology, The Affiliated Qingdao Municipal Hospital, Qingdao University, Qingdao, Shandong 266011, P.R. China
| | - Xiao Yuan
- Department of Orthodontics II, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, Shandong 266011, P.R. China
| | - Rongtao Yuan
- Department of Stomatology, The Affiliated Qingdao Municipal Hospital, Qingdao University, Qingdao, Shandong 266011, P.R. China
| | - Qingyuan Guo
- Department of Stomatology, The Affiliated Qingdao Municipal Hospital, Qingdao University, Qingdao, Shandong 266011, P.R. China
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Asmani M, Kotei C, Hsia I, Marecki L, Wang T, Zhou C, Zhao R. Cyclic Stretching of Fibrotic Microtissue Array for Evaluation of Anti-Fibrosis Drugs. Cell Mol Bioeng 2019; 12:529-540. [PMID: 31719931 DOI: 10.1007/s12195-019-00590-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2019] [Accepted: 08/17/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction Progression of pulmonary fibrosis, characterized by the deterioration of lung tissue's mechanical properties, is affected by respiratory motion-induced dynamic loading. Since the development of anti-fibrosis drugs faces major hurdles in animal tests and human clinical trials, preclinical models that can recapitulate fibrosis progression under physiologically-relevant cyclic loading hold great promise. However, the integration of these two functions has not been achieved in existing models. Methods Recently we developed static human lung microtissue arrays that recapitulate the progressive changes in tissue mechanics during lung fibrogenesis. In the current study, we integrate the lung microtissue array with a membrane stretching system to enable dynamic loading to the microtissues. The effects of a pro-fibrotic agent and anti-fibrosis drugs were tested under cyclic stretching. Results Cyclic stretching that mimics respiratory motion was shown to affect the cytoskeletal organization and cellular orientation in the microtissue and cause the increase in microtissue contractility and stiffness. Fibrosis induction using TGF-β1 further promoted fibrosis-related mechanical activity of the lung microtissues. Using this system, we examined the therapeutic effects of two FDA approved anti-fibrotic drugs. Our results showed that Nintedanib was able to fully inhibit TGF-β1 induced force increase but only partially inhibited stretching induced force increase. In contrast, Pirfenidone was able to fully inhibit both TGF-β1 induced force increase and stretching-induced force increase. Conclusions Together, these results highlight the pathophysiologically-relevant modeling capability of the current fibrotic microtissue system and demonstrated the potential of this system to be used for anti-fibrosis drug screening.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammadnabi Asmani
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY 14260 USA
| | - Christopher Kotei
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY 14260 USA
| | - Isaac Hsia
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY 14260 USA
| | - Leo Marecki
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY 14260 USA
| | - Tianjiao Wang
- Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY 14260 USA
| | - Chi Zhou
- Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY 14260 USA
| | - Ruogang Zhao
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY 14260 USA
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Mayer CR, Arsenovic PT, Bathula K, Denis KB, Conway DE. Characterization of 3D Printed Stretching Devices for Imaging Force Transmission in Live-Cells. Cell Mol Bioeng 2019; 12:289-300. [PMID: 31719915 DOI: 10.1007/s12195-019-00579-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2018] [Accepted: 06/07/2019] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction Cell stretch is a method which can rapidly apply mechanical force through cell-matrix and cell-cell adhesions and can be utilized to better understand underlying biophysical questions related to intracellular force transmission and mechanotransduction. Methods 3D printable stretching devices suitable for live-cell fluorescent imaging were designed using finite element modeling and validated experimentally. These devices were then used along with FRET based nesprin-2G force sensitive biosensors as well as live cell fluorescent staining to understand how the nucleus responds to externally applied mechanical force in cells with both intact LINC (linker of nucleoskeleton and cytoskeleton) complex and cells with the LINC complex disrupted using expression of dominant negative KASH protein. Results The devices were shown to provide a larger strain ranges (300% uniaxial and 60% biaxial) than currently available commercial or academic designs we are aware of. Under uniaxial deformation, the deformation of the nucleus of NIH 3T3 cells per unit of imposed cell strain was shown to be approximately 50% higher in control cells compared to cells with a disrupted LINC complex. Under biaxial deformation, MDCK II cells showed permanent changes in the nuclear morphology as well as actin organization upon unloading, indicating that failure, plastic deformation, or remodeling of the cytoskeleton is occurring in response to the applied stretch. Conclusion Development and open distribution of low-cost, 3D-printable uniaxial and biaxial cell stretching devices compatible with live-cell fluorescent imaging allows a wider range of researchers to investigate mechanical influences on biological questions with only a minimal investment of resources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carl R Mayer
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23284 USA
| | - Paul T Arsenovic
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23284 USA
| | - Kranthidhar Bathula
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23284 USA
| | - Kevin B Denis
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23284 USA
| | - Daniel E Conway
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23284 USA
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14
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Friedrich O, Merten AL, Schneidereit D, Guo Y, Schürmann S, Martinac B. Stretch in Focus: 2D Inplane Cell Stretch Systems for Studies of Cardiac Mechano-Signaling. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2019; 7:55. [PMID: 30972334 PMCID: PMC6445849 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2019.00055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2019] [Accepted: 03/04/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Mechanobiology is a rapidly growing interdisciplinary research field, involving biophysics, molecular and cell biology, biomedical engineering, and medicine. Rapid progress has been possible due to emerging devices and tools engineered for studies of the effect of mechanical forces, such as stretch or shear force, impacting on biological cells and tissues. In response to such mechanical stimuli, cells possess various mechanosensors among which mechanosensitive ion channels are molecular transducers designed to convert mechanical stimuli into electrical and/or biochemical intracellular signals on millisecond time scales. To study their role in cellular signaling pathways, devices have been engineered that enable application of different strain protocols to cells allowing for determination of the stress-strain relationship or other, preferably optical, readouts. Frequently, these devices are mounted on fluorescence microscopes, allowing simultaneous investigation of cellular mechanotransduction processes combined with live-cell imaging. Mechanical stress in organs/tissues can be complex and multiaxial, e.g., in hollow organs, like lung alveoli, bladder, or the heart. Therefore, biomedical engineers have, in recent years, developed devices based on elastomeric membranes for application of biaxial or multiaxial stretch to 2D substrate-adhered or even 3D-embedded cells. Here, we review application of stretch technologies to cellular mechanotransduction with a focus on cardiovascular systems. We also present new results obtained by our IsoStretcher device to examine mechanosensitivity of adult ventricular cardiomyocytes. We show that sudden isotropic stretch of cardiomyocytes can already trigger arrhythmic Ca2+ transients on the single cell level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oliver Friedrich
- Institute of Medical Biotechnology, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany.,Mechanosensory Biophysics Laboratory, Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute, Darlinghurst, NSW, Australia.,Erlangen Graduate School in Advanced Optical Technologies, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany.,Muscle Research Center Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Anna-Lena Merten
- Institute of Medical Biotechnology, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany.,Erlangen Graduate School in Advanced Optical Technologies, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany.,Muscle Research Center Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Dominik Schneidereit
- Institute of Medical Biotechnology, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany.,Erlangen Graduate School in Advanced Optical Technologies, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany.,Muscle Research Center Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Yang Guo
- Mechanosensory Biophysics Laboratory, Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute, Darlinghurst, NSW, Australia.,Faculty of Medicine, St Vincent's Clinical School, University of New South Wales, Darlinghurst, NSW, Australia
| | - Sebastian Schürmann
- Institute of Medical Biotechnology, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany.,Erlangen Graduate School in Advanced Optical Technologies, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Boris Martinac
- Mechanosensory Biophysics Laboratory, Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute, Darlinghurst, NSW, Australia.,Faculty of Medicine, St Vincent's Clinical School, University of New South Wales, Darlinghurst, NSW, Australia
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15
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Jepsen ML, Nielsen LH, Boisen A, Almdal K, Dufva M. Characterization of thin gelatin hydrogel membranes with balloon properties for dynamic tissue engineering. Biopolymers 2018; 110:e23241. [PMID: 30536858 DOI: 10.1002/bip.23241] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2018] [Revised: 10/12/2018] [Accepted: 11/02/2018] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Cell or tissue stretching and strain are present in any in vivo environment, but is difficult to reproduce in vitro. Here, we describe a simple method for casting a thin (about 500 μm) and soft (about 0.3 kPa) hydrogel of gelatin and a method for characterizing the mechanical properties of the hydrogel simply by changing pressure with a water column. The gelatin is crosslinked with mTransglutaminase and the area of the resulting hydrogel can be increased up 13-fold by increasing the radial water pressure. This is far beyond physiological stretches observed in vivo. Actuating the hydrogel with a radial force achieves both information about stiffness, stretchability, and contractability, which are relevant properties for tissue engineering purposes. Cells could be stretched and contracted using the gelatin membrane. Gelatin is a commonly used polymer for hydrogels in tissue engineering, and the discovered reversible stretching is particularly interesting for organ modeling applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Morten Leth Jepsen
- Department of Micro- and Nanotechnology, The Danish National Research Foundation and Villum Foundation's Center for Intelligent Drug Delivery and Sensing Using Microcontainers and Nanomechanics (IDUN), Technical University of Denmark, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Line Hagner Nielsen
- Department of Micro- and Nanotechnology, The Danish National Research Foundation and Villum Foundation's Center for Intelligent Drug Delivery and Sensing Using Microcontainers and Nanomechanics (IDUN), Technical University of Denmark, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Anja Boisen
- Department of Micro- and Nanotechnology, The Danish National Research Foundation and Villum Foundation's Center for Intelligent Drug Delivery and Sensing Using Microcontainers and Nanomechanics (IDUN), Technical University of Denmark, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Kristoffer Almdal
- Department of Micro- and Nanotechnology, The Danish National Research Foundation and Villum Foundation's Center for Intelligent Drug Delivery and Sensing Using Microcontainers and Nanomechanics (IDUN), Technical University of Denmark, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Martin Dufva
- Department of Micro- and Nanotechnology, The Danish National Research Foundation and Villum Foundation's Center for Intelligent Drug Delivery and Sensing Using Microcontainers and Nanomechanics (IDUN), Technical University of Denmark, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
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16
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Live cell imaging reveals focal adhesions mechanoresponses in mammary epithelial cells under sustained equibiaxial stress. Sci Rep 2018; 8:9788. [PMID: 29955093 PMCID: PMC6023913 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-27948-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2017] [Accepted: 06/08/2018] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Mechanical stimuli play a key role in many cell functions such as proliferation, differentiation and migration. In the mammary gland, mechanical signals such as the distension of mammary epithelial cells due to udder filling are proposed to be directly involved during lactation and involution. However, the evolution of focal adhesions -specialized multiprotein complexes that mechanically connect cells with the extracellular matrix- during the mammary gland development, as well as the influence of the mechanical stimuli involved, remains unclear. Here we present the use of an equibiaxial stretching device for exerting a sustained normal strain to mammary epithelial cells while quantitatively assessing cell responses by fluorescence imaging techniques. Using this approach, we explored changes in focal adhesion dynamics in HC11 mammary cells in response to a mechanical sustained stress, which resembles the physiological stimuli. We studied the relationship between a global stress and focal adhesion assembly/disassembly, observing an enhanced persistency of focal adhesions under strain as well as an increase in their size. At a molecular level, we evaluated the mechanoresponses of vinculin and zyxin, two focal adhesion proteins postulated as mechanosensors, observing an increment in vinculin molecular tension and a slower zyxin dynamics while increasing the applied normal strain.
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17
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Abstract
The focus of this paper is to describe the mechanism and behavior of two-dimensional in vitro cell stretch platforms, as well as discussing designs for the evaluation of mechanical properties of cells. It is extremely important to understand the cellular response to extrinsic mechanical forces as living biological system is constantly subjected to mechanical forces in vivo. In addition, this mechanistic understanding of cellular response will provide valuable information towards the design and fabrication of bioengineered tissues and organs, which are expected to replace and/or aid bodily functions. This paper will primarily focus on the development, advantages and limitations of two-dimensional cell stretch platforms.
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Affiliation(s)
- H. GHAZIZADEH
- Joint School of Nanoscience and Nanoengineering, North Carolina A&T State University, 2907 East Gate City Blvd., Greensboro, NC 27401, USA
| | - S. ARAVAMUDHAN
- Joint School of Nanoscience and Nanoengineering, North Carolina A&T State University, 2907 East Gate City Blvd., Greensboro, NC 27401, USA
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18
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Minami K, Hayashi T, Sato K, Nakahara T. Development of micro mechanical device having two-dimensional array of micro chambers for cell stretching. Biomed Microdevices 2018; 20:10. [PMID: 29305659 DOI: 10.1007/s10544-017-0256-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
This paper presents a novel cell stretching micro device having two-dimensional array of micro chambers. It enables an in situ time-lapse observation of stretched cell by using an optical microscope with high measurement efficiency. The presented device consists of a cell culture dish and the array of micro chambers made of silicone elastomer and extension structures made of photocurable resin, and is fabricated with MEMS technology. The fabrication process of the thin micro chamber array combines photoresist mold and lift-off process based on conventional photolithography. The fabricated device has 134micro chambers in 5μm or less thickness. It was demonstrated that the fabricated micro device could be used to make in-situ time-lapse observation of cell responses to stretching under optical microscopy. In addition, the influence of the chamber thickness to the quality of the microscope image observed was evaluated. It is confirmed that the proposed device having two-dimensional array of the thin micro chambers makes it possible to observe cell response for stretch stimuli with high quality and efficiency.
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Affiliation(s)
- K Minami
- Graduate School of Sciences and Technology for Innovation, Yamaguchi University, 2-6-1 Tokiwadai, Ube, Yamaguchi, 755-8611, Japan.
| | - T Hayashi
- Graduate School of Sciences and Technology for Innovation, Yamaguchi University, 2-6-1 Tokiwadai, Ube, Yamaguchi, 755-8611, Japan
| | - K Sato
- Graduate School of Technology, Industrial and Social Sciences, Tokushima University, 2-1 Minami Josanjima, Tokushima, Tokushima, 770-8506, Japan
| | - T Nakahara
- Graduate School of Sciences and Technology for Innovation, Yamaguchi University, 2-6-1 Tokiwadai, Ube, Yamaguchi, 755-8611, Japan
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19
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Computationally Informed Design of a Multi-Axial Actuated Microfluidic Chip Device. Sci Rep 2017; 7:5489. [PMID: 28710359 PMCID: PMC5511244 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-05237-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2017] [Accepted: 05/25/2017] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
This paper describes the computationally informed design and experimental validation of a microfluidic chip device with multi-axial stretching capabilities. The device, based on PDMS soft-lithography, consisted of a thin porous membrane, mounted between two fluidic compartments, and tensioned via a set of vacuum-driven actuators. A finite element analysis solver implementing a set of different nonlinear elastic and hyperelastic material models was used to drive the design and optimization of chip geometry and to investigate the resulting deformation patterns under multi-axial loading. Computational results were cross-validated by experimental testing of prototypal devices featuring the in silico optimized geometry. The proposed methodology represents a suite of computationally handy simulation tools that might find application in the design and in silico mechanical characterization of a wide range of stretchable microfluidic devices.
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20
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Muhamed I, Chowdhury F, Maruthamuthu V. Biophysical Tools to Study Cellular Mechanotransduction. Bioengineering (Basel) 2017; 4:E12. [PMID: 28952491 PMCID: PMC5590431 DOI: 10.3390/bioengineering4010012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2016] [Revised: 01/30/2017] [Accepted: 02/02/2017] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
The cell membrane is the interface that volumetrically isolates cellular components from the cell's environment. Proteins embedded within and on the membrane have varied biological functions: reception of external biochemical signals, as membrane channels, amplification and regulation of chemical signals through secondary messenger molecules, controlled exocytosis, endocytosis, phagocytosis, organized recruitment and sequestration of cytosolic complex proteins, cell division processes, organization of the cytoskeleton and more. The membrane's bioelectrical role is enabled by the physiologically controlled release and accumulation of electrochemical potential modulating molecules across the membrane through specialized ion channels (e.g., Na⁺, Ca2+, K⁺ channels). The membrane's biomechanical functions include sensing external forces and/or the rigidity of the external environment through force transmission, specific conformational changes and/or signaling through mechanoreceptors (e.g., platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecule (PECAM), vascular endothelial (VE)-cadherin, epithelial (E)-cadherin, integrin) embedded in the membrane. Certain mechanical stimulations through specific receptor complexes induce electrical and/or chemical impulses in cells and propagate across cells and tissues. These biomechanical sensory and biochemical responses have profound implications in normal physiology and disease. Here, we discuss the tools that facilitate the understanding of mechanosensitive adhesion receptors. This article is structured to provide a broad biochemical and mechanobiology background to introduce a freshman mechano-biologist to the field of mechanotransduction, with deeper study enabled by many of the references cited herein.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ismaeel Muhamed
- Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA.
| | - Farhan Chowdhury
- Department of Mechanical Engineering and Energy Processes, Southern Illinois University Carbondale, Carbondale, IL 62901, USA.
| | - Venkat Maruthamuthu
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA 23529, USA.
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21
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Renner DJ, Ewald ML, Kim T, Yamada S. Biochemical analysis of force-sensitive responses using a large-scale cell stretch device. Cell Adh Migr 2017; 11:504-513. [PMID: 28129019 DOI: 10.1080/19336918.2016.1276147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Physical force has emerged as a key regulator of tissue homeostasis, and plays an important role in embryogenesis, tissue regeneration, and disease progression. Currently, the details of protein interactions under elevated physical stress are largely missing, therefore, preventing the fundamental, molecular understanding of mechano-transduction. This is in part due to the difficulty isolating large quantities of cell lysates exposed to force-bearing conditions for biochemical analysis. We designed a simple, easy-to-fabricate, large-scale cell stretch device for the analysis of force-sensitive cell responses. Using proximal biotinylation (BioID) analysis or phospho-specific antibodies, we detected force-sensitive biochemical changes in cells exposed to prolonged cyclic substrate stretch. For example, using promiscuous biotin ligase BirA* tagged α-catenin, the biotinylation of myosin IIA increased with stretch, suggesting the close proximity of myosin IIA to α-catenin under a force bearing condition. Furthermore, using phospho-specific antibodies, Akt phosphorylation was reduced upon stretch while Src phosphorylation was unchanged. Interestingly, phosphorylation of GSK3β, a downstream effector of Akt pathway, was also reduced with stretch, while the phosphorylation of other Akt effectors was unchanged. These data suggest that the Akt-GSK3β pathway is force-sensitive. This simple cell stretch device enables biochemical analysis of force-sensitive responses and has potential to uncover molecules underlying mechano-transduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Derrick J Renner
- a Biomedical Engineering Department , University of California , Davis, Davis , CA , USA
| | - Makena L Ewald
- a Biomedical Engineering Department , University of California , Davis, Davis , CA , USA
| | - Timothy Kim
- a Biomedical Engineering Department , University of California , Davis, Davis , CA , USA
| | - Soichiro Yamada
- a Biomedical Engineering Department , University of California , Davis, Davis , CA , USA
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22
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Hirata H, Ku WC, Yip AK, Ursekar CP, Kawauchi K, Roy A, Guo AK, Vedula SRK, Harada I, Chiam KH, Ishihama Y, Lim CT, Sawada Y, Sokabe M. MEKK1-dependent phosphorylation of calponin-3 tunes cell contractility. J Cell Sci 2016; 129:3574-3582. [PMID: 27528401 DOI: 10.1242/jcs.189415] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2016] [Accepted: 08/10/2016] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
MEKK1 (also known as MAP3K1), which plays a major role in MAPK signaling, has been implicated in mechanical processes in cells, such as migration. Here, we identify the actin-binding protein calponin-3 as a new MEKK1 substrate in the signaling that regulates actomyosin-based cellular contractility. MEKK1 colocalizes with calponin-3 at the actin cytoskeleton and phosphorylates it, leading to an increase in the cell-generated traction stress. MEKK1-mediated calponin-3 phosphorylation is attenuated by the inhibition of myosin II activity, the disruption of actin cytoskeletal integrity and adhesion to soft extracellular substrates, whereas it is enhanced upon cell stretching. Our results reveal the importance of the MEKK1-calponin-3 signaling pathway to cell contractility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiroaki Hirata
- Mechanobiology Institute, National University of Singapore, 117411 Singapore
| | - Wei-Chi Ku
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan
| | - Ai Kia Yip
- A*STAR Bioinformatics Institute, 138671 Singapore
| | | | - Keiko Kawauchi
- Mechanobiology Institute, National University of Singapore, 117411 Singapore
| | - Amrita Roy
- Mechanobiology Institute, National University of Singapore, 117411 Singapore
| | - Alvin Kunyao Guo
- Mechanobiology Institute, National University of Singapore, 117411 Singapore
| | | | - Ichiro Harada
- Locomotive Syndrome Research Institute, Nadogaya Hospital, Kashiwa 277-0032, Japan Graduate School of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Yokohama 226-8501, Japan
| | - Keng-Hwee Chiam
- Mechanobiology Institute, National University of Singapore, 117411 Singapore A*STAR Bioinformatics Institute, 138671 Singapore
| | - Yasushi Ishihama
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan
| | - Chwee Teck Lim
- Mechanobiology Institute, National University of Singapore, 117411 Singapore Department of Biomedical Engineering, National University of Singapore, 117583 Singapore
| | - Yasuhiro Sawada
- Mechanobiology Institute, National University of Singapore, 117411 Singapore Locomotive Syndrome Research Institute, Nadogaya Hospital, Kashiwa 277-0032, Japan Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, 117543 Singapore
| | - Masahiro Sokabe
- Mechanobiology Institute, National University of Singapore, 117411 Singapore Mechanobiology Laboratory, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya 466-8550, Japan
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23
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Stretch Injury of Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell Derived Neurons in a 96 Well Format. Sci Rep 2016; 6:34097. [PMID: 27671211 PMCID: PMC5037451 DOI: 10.1038/srep34097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2016] [Accepted: 09/07/2016] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a major cause of mortality and morbidity with limited therapeutic options. Traumatic axonal injury (TAI) is an important component of TBI pathology. It is difficult to reproduce TAI in animal models of closed head injury, but in vitro stretch injury models reproduce clinical TAI pathology. Existing in vitro models employ primary rodent neurons or human cancer cell line cells in low throughput formats. This in vitro neuronal stretch injury model employs human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived neurons (hiPSCNs) in a 96 well format. Silicone membranes were attached to 96 well plate tops to create stretchable, culture substrates. A custom-built device was designed and validated to apply repeatable, biofidelic strains and strain rates to these plates. A high content approach was used to measure injury in a hypothesis-free manner. These measurements are shown to provide a sensitive, dose-dependent, multi-modal description of the response to mechanical insult. hiPSCNs transition from healthy to injured phenotype at approximately 35% Lagrangian strain. Continued development of this model may create novel opportunities for drug discovery and exploration of the role of human genotype in TAI pathology.
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24
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Kamble H, Barton MJ, Jun M, Park S, Nguyen NT. Cell stretching devices as research tools: engineering and biological considerations. LAB ON A CHIP 2016; 16:3193-203. [PMID: 27440436 DOI: 10.1039/c6lc00607h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Cells within the human body are subjected to continuous, cyclic mechanical strain caused by various organ functions, movement, and growth. Cells are well known to have the ability to sense and respond to mechanical stimuli. This process is referred to as mechanotransduction. A better understanding of mechanotransduction is of great interest to clinicians and scientists alike to improve clinical diagnosis and understanding of medical pathology. However, the complexity involved in in vivo biological systems creates a need for better in vitro technologies, which can closely mimic the cells' microenvironment using induced mechanical strain. This technology gap motivates the development of cell stretching devices for better understanding of the cell response to mechanical stimuli. This review focuses on the engineering and biological considerations for the development of such cell stretching devices. The paper discusses different types of stretching concepts, major design consideration and biological aspects of cell stretching and provides a perspective for future development in this research area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harshad Kamble
- Queensland Micro- and Nanotechnology Centre, Griffith University, Nathan Campus, 170 Kessels Road, QLD 4111, Australia.
| | - Matthew J Barton
- Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University, Gold Coast, QLD, Australia
| | - Myeongjun Jun
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, Korea
| | - Sungsu Park
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, Korea
| | - Nam-Trung Nguyen
- Queensland Micro- and Nanotechnology Centre, Griffith University, Nathan Campus, 170 Kessels Road, QLD 4111, Australia.
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25
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Aydin O, Aksoy B, Akalin OB, Bayraktar H, Alaca BE. Time-resolved local strain tracking microscopy for cell mechanics. THE REVIEW OF SCIENTIFIC INSTRUMENTS 2016; 87:023905. [PMID: 26931864 DOI: 10.1063/1.4941715] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
A uniaxial cell stretching technique to measure time-resolved local substrate strain while simultaneously imaging adherent cells is presented. The experimental setup comprises a uniaxial stretcher platform compatible with inverted microscopy and transparent elastomer samples with embedded fluorescent beads. This integration enables the acquisition of real-time spatiotemporal data, which is then processed using a single-particle tracking algorithm to track the positions of fluorescent beads for the subsequent computation of local strain. The present local strain tracking method is demonstrated using polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) samples of rectangular and dogbone geometries. The comparison of experimental results and finite element simulations for the two sample geometries illustrates the capability of the present system to accurately quantify local deformation even when the strain distribution is non-uniform over the sample. For a regular dogbone sample, the experimentally obtained value of local strain at the center of the sample is 77%, while the average strain calculated using the applied cross-head displacement is 48%. This observation indicates that considerable errors may arise when cross-head measurement is utilized to estimate strain in the case of non-uniform sample geometry. Finally, the compatibility of the proposed platform with biological samples is tested using a unibody PDMS sample with a well to contain cells and culture media. HeLa S3 cells are plated on collagen-coated samples and cell adhesion and proliferation are observed. Samples with adherent cells are then stretched to demonstrate simultaneous cell imaging and tracking of embedded fluorescent beads.
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Affiliation(s)
- O Aydin
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Koç University, Rumelifeneri Yolu, Sariyer 34450 Istanbul, Turkey
| | - B Aksoy
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Koç University, Rumelifeneri Yolu, Sariyer 34450 Istanbul, Turkey
| | - O B Akalin
- Biomedical Science and Engineering, Koç University, Rumelifeneri Yolu, Sariyer 34450 Istanbul, Turkey
| | - H Bayraktar
- Biomedical Science and Engineering, Koç University, Rumelifeneri Yolu, Sariyer 34450 Istanbul, Turkey
| | - B E Alaca
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Koç University, Rumelifeneri Yolu, Sariyer 34450 Istanbul, Turkey
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26
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Wang J, Fan B, Wei Y, Suo X, Ding Y. A simple multi-well stretching device to induce inflammatory responses of vascular endothelial cells. LAB ON A CHIP 2016; 16:360-367. [PMID: 26669969 DOI: 10.1039/c5lc01416f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
We herein introduce a novel multi-well stretching device that is made of three polydimethylsiloxane layers, consisting of a top hole-punched layer, middle thin membrane, and bottom patterned layer. It is the first time that such a simple device has been used to supply axisymmetric and nonuniform strains to cells cultured on well bottoms that are stretchable. These mechanical stimuli can somewhat mimic the stretching at the bending sites of blood vessels, where the strains are complicated. In this device, nonuniform strain is given to cells through the deformation of a membrane from a flat surface to a spherical cap during the injection of a certain volume of water into the chamber between the middle membrane and bottom layer. EA.hy926 cells (a human umbilical vein endothelial cell line) were seeded on the well bottoms and exposed to axisymmetric strain under a 5, 10, 15, and 20% degree of deformation of the membrane. The cellular responses were characterized in terms of cell morphology, cell viability, and expression of inflammatory mRNAs and proteins. With increasing the degree of deformation, the cells exhibited an inclination toward detachment and apoptosis; meanwhile the expression of inflammatory mRNAs and proteins, such as MCP-1, IL-8, IL-6 and ICAM-1, showed a significant increment. The obtained results demonstrate that the inflammatory responses of EA.hy926 cells can be induced by increasing the magnitude of the strain. This simple device provides a useful tool for in vitro investigation of the inflammatory mechanisms related to vascular diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiasheng Wang
- College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.
| | - Beiyuan Fan
- College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.
| | - Yuanchen Wei
- College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.
| | - Xingmei Suo
- School of information engineering, Minzu University of China, Beijing, 100081, China.
| | - Yongsheng Ding
- College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.
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27
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Davis CA, Zambrano S, Anumolu P, Allen ACB, Sonoqui L, Moreno MR. Device-Based In Vitro Techniques for Mechanical Stimulation of Vascular Cells: A Review. J Biomech Eng 2015; 137:040801. [DOI: 10.1115/1.4029016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2013] [Accepted: 11/07/2014] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
The most common cause of death in the developed world is cardiovascular disease. For decades, this has provided a powerful motivation to study the effects of mechanical forces on vascular cells in a controlled setting, since these cells have been implicated in the development of disease. Early efforts in the 1970 s included the first use of a parallel-plate flow system to apply shear stress to endothelial cells (ECs) and the development of uniaxial substrate stretching techniques (Krueger et al., 1971, “An in Vitro Study of Flow Response by Cells,” J. Biomech., 4(1), pp. 31–36 and Meikle et al., 1979, “Rabbit Cranial Sutures in Vitro: A New Experimental Model for Studying the Response of Fibrous Joints to Mechanical Stress,” Calcif. Tissue Int., 28(2), pp. 13–144). Since then, a multitude of in vitro devices have been designed and developed for mechanical stimulation of vascular cells and tissues in an effort to better understand their response to in vivo physiologic mechanical conditions. This article reviews the functional attributes of mechanical bioreactors developed in the 21st century, including their major advantages and disadvantages. Each of these systems has been categorized in terms of their primary loading modality: fluid shear stress (FSS), substrate distention, combined distention and fluid shear, or other applied forces. The goal of this article is to provide researchers with a survey of useful methodologies that can be adapted to studies in this area, and to clarify future possibilities for improved research methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caleb A. Davis
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843-3120 e-mail:
| | - Steve Zambrano
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843-3120 e-mail:
| | - Pratima Anumolu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843-3120 e-mail:
| | - Alicia C. B. Allen
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712-1801 e-mail:
| | - Leonardo Sonoqui
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843-3120 e-mail:
| | - Michael R. Moreno
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843-3123 e-mail:
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