1
|
Pneumatic unidirectional cell stretching device for mechanobiological studies of cardiomyocytes. Biomech Model Mechanobiol 2019; 19:291-303. [PMID: 31444593 PMCID: PMC7005075 DOI: 10.1007/s10237-019-01211-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2019] [Accepted: 08/02/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
In this paper, we present a transparent mechanical stimulation device capable of uniaxial stimulation, which is compatible with standard bioanalytical methods used in cellular mechanobiology. We validate the functionality of the uniaxial stimulation system using human-induced pluripotent stem cells-derived cardiomyocytes (hiPSC-CMs). The pneumatically controlled device is fabricated from polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and provides uniaxial strain and superior optical performance compatible with standard inverted microscopy techniques used for bioanalytics (e.g., fluorescence microscopy and calcium imaging). Therefore, it allows for a continuous investigation of the cell state during stretching experiments. The paper introduces design and fabrication of the device, characterizes the mechanical performance of the device and demonstrates the compatibility with standard bioanalytical analysis tools. Imaging modalities, such as high-resolution live cell phase contrast imaging and video recordings, fluorescent imaging and calcium imaging are possible to perform in the device. Utilizing the different imaging modalities and proposed stretching device, we demonstrate the capability of the device for extensive further studies of hiPSC-CMs. We also demonstrate that sarcomere structures of hiPSC-CMs organize and orient perpendicular to uniaxial strain axis and thus express more maturated nature of cardiomyocytes.
Collapse
|
2
|
E-cadherin and LGN align epithelial cell divisions with tissue tension independently of cell shape. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2017; 114:E5845-E5853. [PMID: 28674014 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1701703114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Tissue morphogenesis requires the coordinated regulation of cellular behavior, which includes the orientation of cell division that defines the position of daughter cells in the tissue. Cell division orientation is instructed by biochemical and mechanical signals from the local tissue environment, but how those signals control mitotic spindle orientation is not fully understood. Here, we tested how mechanical tension across an epithelial monolayer is sensed to orient cell divisions. Tension across Madin-Darby canine kidney cell monolayers was increased by a low level of uniaxial stretch, which oriented cell divisions with the stretch axis irrespective of the orientation of the cell long axis. We demonstrate that stretch-induced division orientation required mechanotransduction through E-cadherin cell-cell adhesions. Increased tension on the E-cadherin complex promoted the junctional recruitment of the protein LGN, a core component of the spindle orientation machinery that binds the cytosolic tail of E-cadherin. Consequently, uniaxial stretch triggered a polarized cortical distribution of LGN. Selective disruption of trans engagement of E-cadherin in an otherwise cohesive cell monolayer, or loss of LGN expression, resulted in randomly oriented cell divisions in the presence of uniaxial stretch. Our findings indicate that E-cadherin plays a key role in sensing polarized tensile forces across the tissue and transducing this information to the spindle orientation machinery to align cell divisions.
Collapse
|
3
|
Virjula S, Zhao F, Leivo J, Vanhatupa S, Kreutzer J, Vaughan TJ, Honkala AM, Viehrig M, Mullen CA, Kallio P, McNamara LM, Miettinen S. The effect of equiaxial stretching on the osteogenic differentiation and mechanical properties of human adipose stem cells. J Mech Behav Biomed Mater 2017; 72:38-48. [PMID: 28448920 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmbbm.2017.04.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2016] [Revised: 04/05/2017] [Accepted: 04/12/2017] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
Although mechanical cues are known to affect stem cell fate and mechanobiology, the significance of such stimuli on the osteogenic differentiation of human adipose stem cells (hASCs) remains unclear. In this study, we investigated the effect of long-term mechanical stimulation on the attachment, osteogenic differentiation and mechanical properties of hASCs. Tailor-made, pneumatic cell stretching devices were used to expose hASCs to cyclic equiaxial stretching in osteogenic medium. Cell attachment and focal adhesions were visualised using immunocytochemical vinculin staining on days 3 and 6, and the proliferation and alkaline phosphatase activity, as a sign of early osteogenic differentiation, were analysed on days 0, 6 and 10. Furthermore, the mechanical properties of hASCs, in terms of apparent Young's modulus and normalised contractility, were obtained using a combination of atomic force microscopy based indentation and computational approaches. Our results indicated that cyclic equiaxial stretching delayed proliferation and promoted osteogenic differentiation of hASCs. Stretching also reduced cell size and intensified focal adhesions and actin cytoskeleton. Moreover, cell stiffening was observed during osteogenic differentiation and especially under mechanical stimulation. These results suggest that cyclic equiaxial stretching modifies cell morphology, focal adhesion formation and mechanical properties of hASCs. This could be exploited to enhance osteogenic differentiation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sanni Virjula
- Adult Stem Cell Group, BioMediTech, Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, University of Tampere, Lääkärinkatu 1, 33520 Tampere, Finland; Science Centre, Tampere University Hospital, Biokatu 6, 33520 Tampere, Finland.
| | - Feihu Zhao
- Biomechanics Research Centre (BMEC), Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering and Informatics, National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland.
| | - Joni Leivo
- Department of Automation Science and Engineering, BioMediTech, Tampere University of Technology, Korkeakoulunkatu 3, 33720 Tampere, Finland.
| | - Sari Vanhatupa
- Adult Stem Cell Group, BioMediTech, Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, University of Tampere, Lääkärinkatu 1, 33520 Tampere, Finland; Science Centre, Tampere University Hospital, Biokatu 6, 33520 Tampere, Finland.
| | - Joose Kreutzer
- Department of Automation Science and Engineering, BioMediTech, Tampere University of Technology, Korkeakoulunkatu 3, 33720 Tampere, Finland.
| | - Ted J Vaughan
- Biomechanics Research Centre (BMEC), Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering and Informatics, National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland.
| | - Anna-Maija Honkala
- Adult Stem Cell Group, BioMediTech, Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, University of Tampere, Lääkärinkatu 1, 33520 Tampere, Finland; Science Centre, Tampere University Hospital, Biokatu 6, 33520 Tampere, Finland.
| | - Marlitt Viehrig
- Department of Automation Science and Engineering, BioMediTech, Tampere University of Technology, Korkeakoulunkatu 3, 33720 Tampere, Finland.
| | - Conleth A Mullen
- Biomechanics Research Centre (BMEC), Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering and Informatics, National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland.
| | - Pasi Kallio
- Department of Automation Science and Engineering, BioMediTech, Tampere University of Technology, Korkeakoulunkatu 3, 33720 Tampere, Finland.
| | - Laoise M McNamara
- Biomechanics Research Centre (BMEC), Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering and Informatics, National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland.
| | - Susanna Miettinen
- Adult Stem Cell Group, BioMediTech, Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, University of Tampere, Lääkärinkatu 1, 33520 Tampere, Finland; Science Centre, Tampere University Hospital, Biokatu 6, 33520 Tampere, Finland.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Nguyen NT. Micromachines Beyond Silicon-Based Technologies: A Letter from the New Editor-in-Chief. MICROMACHINES 2016; 7:E44. [PMID: 30407415 PMCID: PMC6189737 DOI: 10.3390/mi7030044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2016] [Accepted: 03/08/2016] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
It is my pleasure to assume the role of the Editor-in-Chief of Micromachines from March 2016.[...].
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nam-Trung Nguyen
- Editor-in-Chief of Micromachines, Queensland Micro- and Nanotechnology Centre, Griffith University, 170 Kessels Road, Brisbane, Queensland 4111, Australia.
| |
Collapse
|