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Dow LP, Parmar T, Marchetti MC, Pruitt BL. Engineering tools for quantifying and manipulating forces in epithelia. BIOPHYSICS REVIEWS 2023; 4:021303. [PMID: 38510344 PMCID: PMC10903508 DOI: 10.1063/5.0142537] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2023] [Accepted: 04/20/2023] [Indexed: 03/22/2024]
Abstract
The integrity of epithelia is maintained within dynamic mechanical environments during tissue development and homeostasis. Understanding how epithelial cells mechanosignal and respond collectively or individually is critical to providing insight into developmental and (patho)physiological processes. Yet, inferring or mimicking mechanical forces and downstream mechanical signaling as they occur in epithelia presents unique challenges. A variety of in vitro approaches have been used to dissect the role of mechanics in regulating epithelia organization. Here, we review approaches and results from research into how epithelial cells communicate through mechanical cues to maintain tissue organization and integrity. We summarize the unique advantages and disadvantages of various reduced-order model systems to guide researchers in choosing appropriate experimental systems. These model systems include 3D, 2D, and 1D micromanipulation methods, single cell studies, and noninvasive force inference and measurement techniques. We also highlight a number of in silico biophysical models that are informed by in vitro and in vivo observations. Together, a combination of theoretical and experimental models will aid future experiment designs and provide predictive insight into mechanically driven behaviors of epithelial dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Toshi Parmar
- Department of Physics, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, California 93106, USA
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Dermendjiev G, Schnurer M, Stewart E, Nägele T, Marino G, Leister D, Thür A, Plott S, Jeż J, Ibl V. A bench-top Dark-Root device built with LEGO ® bricks enables a non-invasive plant root development analysis in soil conditions mirroring nature. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2023; 14:1166511. [PMID: 37324682 PMCID: PMC10264708 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1166511] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2023] [Accepted: 04/28/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Roots are the hidden parts of plants, anchoring their above-ground counterparts in the soil. They are responsible for water and nutrient uptake and for interacting with biotic and abiotic factors in the soil. The root system architecture (RSA) and its plasticity are crucial for resource acquisition and consequently correlate with plant performance while being highly dependent on the surrounding environment, such as soil properties and therefore environmental conditions. Thus, especially for crop plants and regarding agricultural challenges, it is essential to perform molecular and phenotypic analyses of the root system under conditions as near as possible to nature (#asnearaspossibletonature). To prevent root illumination during experimental procedures, which would heavily affect root development, Dark-Root (D-Root) devices (DRDs) have been developed. In this article, we describe the construction and different applications of a sustainable, affordable, flexible, and easy to assemble open-hardware bench-top LEGO® DRD, the DRD-BIBLOX (Brick Black Box). The DRD-BIBLOX consists of one or more 3D-printed rhizoboxes, which can be filled with soil while still providing root visibility. The rhizoboxes sit in a scaffold of secondhand LEGO® bricks, which allows root development in the dark and non-invasive root tracking with an infrared (IR) camera and an IR light-emitting diode (LED) cluster. Proteomic analyses confirmed significant effects of root illumination on barley root and shoot proteomes. Additionally, we confirmed the significant effect of root illumination on barley root and shoot phenotypes. Our data therefore reinforces the importance of the application of field conditions in the lab and the value of our novel device, the DRD-BIBLOX. We further provide a DRD-BIBLOX application spectrum, spanning from investigating a variety of plant species and soil conditions and simulating different environmental conditions and stresses, to proteomic and phenotypic analyses, including early root tracking in the dark.
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Affiliation(s)
- Georgi Dermendjiev
- Department of Functional and Evolutionary Ecology, Molecular Systems Biology (MoSys), University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Madeleine Schnurer
- Department of Functional and Evolutionary Ecology, Molecular Systems Biology (MoSys), University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Ethan Stewart
- Plant Sciences Facility, Vienna Biocenter Core Facilities (VBCF), Vienna, Austria
| | - Thomas Nägele
- Faculty of Biology, Plant Evolutionary Cell Biology Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Planegg-Martinsried, Germany
| | - Giada Marino
- Faculty of Biology, Plant Evolutionary Cell Biology Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Planegg-Martinsried, Germany
| | - Dario Leister
- Faculty of Biology, Plant Evolutionary Cell Biology Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Planegg-Martinsried, Germany
| | - Alexandra Thür
- Department of Functional and Evolutionary Ecology, Molecular Systems Biology (MoSys), University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Stefan Plott
- Department of Functional and Evolutionary Ecology, Molecular Systems Biology (MoSys), University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Jakub Jeż
- Plant Sciences Facility, Vienna Biocenter Core Facilities (VBCF), Vienna, Austria
| | - Verena Ibl
- Department of Functional and Evolutionary Ecology, Molecular Systems Biology (MoSys), University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
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Peussa H, Kreutzer J, Mäntylä E, Mäki AJ, Nymark S, Kallio P, Ihalainen TO. Pneumatic equiaxial compression device for mechanical manipulation of epithelial cell packing and physiology. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0268570. [PMID: 35657824 PMCID: PMC9165817 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0268570] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2022] [Accepted: 05/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
It is well established that mechanical cues, e.g., tensile- compressive- or shear forces, are important co-regulators of cell and tissue physiology. To understand the mechanistic effects these cues have on cells, technologies allowing precise mechanical manipulation of the studied cells are required. As the significance of cell density i.e., packing on cellular behavior is beginning to unravel, we sought to design an equiaxial cell compression device based on our previously published cell stretching system. We focused on improving the suitability for microscopy and the user-friendliness of the system. By introducing a hinge structure to the substrate stretch generating vacuum chamber, we managed to decrease the z-displacement of the cell culture substrate, thus reducing the focal plane drift. The vacuum battery, the mini-incubator, as well as the custom-made vacuum pressure controller make the experimental setup more flexible and portable. Furthermore, we improved the efficiency and repeatability of manufacture of the device by designing a mold that can be used to cast the body of the device. We also compared several different silicone membranes, and chose SILPURAN® due to its best microscopy imaging properties. Here, we show that the device can produce a maximum 8.5% radial pre-strain which leads to a 15% equiaxial areal compression as the pre-strain is released. When tested with epithelial cells, upon compression, we saw a decrease in cell cross-sectional area and an increase in cell layer height. Additionally, before compression the cells had two distinct cell populations with different cross-sectional areas that merged into a more uniform population due to compression. In addition to these morphological changes, we detected an alteration in the nucleo-cytoplasmic distribution of YAP1, suggesting that the cellular packing is enough to induce mechanical signaling in the epithelium.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heidi Peussa
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland
| | - Joose Kreutzer
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland
| | - Elina Mäntylä
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland
| | - Antti-Juhana Mäki
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland
| | - Soile Nymark
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland
| | - Pasi Kallio
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland
| | - Teemu O. Ihalainen
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland
- * E-mail:
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The LEGO® brick road to open science and biotechnology. Trends Biotechnol 2022; 40:1073-1087. [DOI: 10.1016/j.tibtech.2022.02.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2021] [Revised: 02/04/2022] [Accepted: 02/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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Bonfanti A, Duque J, Kabla A, Charras G. Fracture in living tissues. Trends Cell Biol 2022; 32:537-551. [DOI: 10.1016/j.tcb.2022.01.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2021] [Revised: 01/08/2022] [Accepted: 01/10/2022] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
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