Philip M. Tan¹, Kyle S. Buchholz², Shulin Cao², Yasser Aboelkassem², Jeffrey H. Omens², Andrew D. McCulloch^2,*, Jeffrey J. Saucerman¹

Molecular & Cellular Biomechanics, Vol.16, Suppl.1, pp. 1-3, 2019, DOI:10.32604/mcb.2019.05693

Abstract In this article, we summarize our systems model of cardiomyocyte mechano-signaling published in PLoS Computational Biology and discuss new approaches to extending these models to predict cardiac myocyte gene expression in response to stretch. More >

Petit Claudie¹, Guignandon Alain², Avril Stéphane^1,*

Molecular & Cellular Biomechanics, Vol.16, No.2, pp. 87-108, 2019, DOI:10.32604/mcb.2019.06415

Abstract The contractile behavior of smooth muscle cells (SMCs) in the aorta is an important determinant of growth, remodeling, and homeostasis. However, quantitative values of SMC basal tone have never been characterized precisely on individual SMCs. Therefore, to address this lack, we developed an in vitro technique based on Traction Force Microscopy (TFM). Aortic SMCs from a human lineage at low passages (4-7) were cultured 2 days in conditions promoting the development of their contractile apparatus and seeded on hydrogels of varying elastic modulus (1, 4, 12 and 25 kPa) with embedded fluorescent microspheres. After complete… More >

Virginia Aragon Sanabria¹, Cheng Dong^*

Molecular & Cellular Biomechanics, Vol.15, No.1, pp. 1-19, 2018, DOI:10.3970/mcb.2018.015.001

Abstract Endothelial barrier function is critical for tissue homeostasis throughout the body. Disruption of the endothelial monolayer leads to edema, vascular diseases and even cancer metastasis among other pathological conditions. Breakdown of the endothelial barrier integrity triggered by cytokines (e.g.IL-8,IL-1β) and growth factors (e.g.VEGF) is well documented. However, endothelial cells are subject to major biomechanical forces that affect their behavior. Due to their unique location at the interface between circulating blood and surrounding tissues, endothelial cells experience shear stress, strain and contraction forces. More than three decades ago, it was already appreciated that shear flow caused More >

Min Zhang^∗, Fa-Ming Chen^†, Yong-Jin Chen^∗,‡, Shun Wu^∗, Xin Lv^∗, Rui-Ni Zhao^∗

Molecular & Cellular Biomechanics, Vol.8, No.1, pp. 43-60, 2011, DOI:10.3970/mcb.2011.008.043

Abstract To investigate the role of mechanical pressure on cartilage thickness and type II collagen synthesis, and the role of G protein in that process, in vitro organ culture of mandibular cartilage was adopted in this study. A hydraulic pressure-controlled cellular strain unit was used to apply hydrostatic pressurization to explant cultures. The explants were compressed by different pressure values (0 kPa, 100 kPa, and 300 kPa) after pretreatment with or without a selective and direct antagonist (NF023) for the G proteins. After 4, 8 and 12 h of cell culture under each pressure condition, histological… More >

Colin K. Choi^*, Brian P. Helmke^∗,†

Molecular & Cellular Biomechanics, Vol.5, No.4, pp. 247-258, 2008, DOI:10.3970/mcb.2008.005.247

Abstract Hemodynamic shear stress guides a variety of endothelial phenotype characteristics, including cell morphology, cytoskeletal structure, and gene expression profile. The sensing and processing of extracellular fluid forces may be mediated by mechanotransmission through the actin cytoskeleton network to intracellular locations of signal initiation. In this study, we identify rapid actin-mediated morphological changes in living subconfluent and confluent bovine aortic endothelial cells (ECs) in response to onset of unidirectional steady fluid shear stress (15 dyn/cm²). After flow onset, subconfluent cells exhibited dynamic edge activity in lamellipodia and small ruffles in the downstream and side directions for the… More >

Shu Chien^*

Molecular & Cellular Biomechanics, Vol.5, No.1, pp. 1-8, 2008, DOI:10.3970/mcb.2008.005.001

Abstract Fluid shear stress due to blood flow can modulate functions of endothelial cells (ECs) in blood vessels by activating mechano-sensors, signaling pathways, and gene and protein expressions. Laminar shear stress with a definite forward direction causes transient activations of many genes that are atherogenic, followed by their down-regulation; laminar shear stress also up-regulates genes that inhibit EC growth. In contrast, disturbed flow patterns with little forward direction cause sustained activations of these atherogenic genes and enhancements of EC mitosis and apoptosis. In straight parts of the arterial tree, laminar shear stress with a definite forward More >

Judith Su^∗, Xingyu Jiang^†, Roy Welsch^‡, George M. Whitesides^§, Peter T. C. So^¶

Molecular & Cellular Biomechanics, Vol.4, No.2, pp. 87-104, 2007, DOI:10.3970/mcb.2007.004.087

Abstract Interactions between the cell and the extracellular matrix regulate a variety of cellular properties and functions, including cellular rheology. In the present study of cellular adhesion, area was controlled by confining NIH 3T3 fibroblast cells to circular micropatterned islands of defined size. The shear moduli of cells adhering to islands of well defined geometry, as measured by magnetic microrheometry, was found to have a significantly lower variance than those of cells allowed to spread on unpatterned surfaces. We observe that the area of cellular adhesion influences shear modulus. Rheological measurements further indicate that cellular shear… More >

X. E. Guo¹

Molecular & Cellular Biomechanics, Vol.3, No.4, pp. 183-184, 2006, DOI:10.32604/mcb.2006.003.183

Abstract This article has no abstract. More >

E. Takai¹, R. Landesberg², R.W. Katz², C.T. Hung³, X.E Guo^1,4

Molecular & Cellular Biomechanics, Vol.3, No.1, pp. 1-12, 2006, DOI:10.3970/mcb.2006.003.001

Abstract Osteoblast interactions with extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins are known to influence many cell functions, which may ultimately affect osseointegration of implants with the host bone tissue. Some adhesion-mediated events include activation of focal adhesion kinase, and subsequent changes in the cytoskeleton and cell morphology, which may lead to changes in adhesion strength and cell responsiveness to mechanical stimuli. In this study we examined focal adhesion kinase activation (FAK), F-actin cytoskeleton reorganization, adhesion strength, and osteoblast responsiveness to fluid shear when adhered to type I collagen (ColI), glass, poly-L-lysine (PLL), fibronectin (FN), vitronectin (VN), and serum… More >

S. Deguchi^1,2, T. Ohashi², M. Sato²

Molecular & Cellular Biomechanics, Vol.2, No.4, pp. 205-216, 2005, DOI:10.3970/mcb.2005.002.205

Abstract Intracellular stress transmission through subcellular structural components has been proposed to affect activation of localized mechano-sensing sites such as focal adhesions in adherent cells. Previous studies reported that physiological extracellular forces produced heterogeneous spatial distributions of cytoplasmic strain. However, mechanical signaling pathway involved in intracellular force transmission through basal actin stress fibers (SFs), a mechano-responsive cytoskeletal structure, remains elusive. In the present study, we investigated force balance within the basal SFs of cultured smooth muscle cells and endothelial cells by (i) removing the cell membrane and cytoplasmic constituents except for materials physically attaching to the… More >