1
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Crossley RM, Johnson S, Tsingos E, Bell Z, Berardi M, Botticelli M, Braat QJS, Metzcar J, Ruscone M, Yin Y, Shuttleworth R. Modeling the extracellular matrix in cell migration and morphogenesis: a guide for the curious biologist. Front Cell Dev Biol 2024; 12:1354132. [PMID: 38495620 PMCID: PMC10940354 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2024.1354132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2023] [Accepted: 02/12/2024] [Indexed: 03/19/2024] Open
Abstract
The extracellular matrix (ECM) is a highly complex structure through which biochemical and mechanical signals are transmitted. In processes of cell migration, the ECM also acts as a scaffold, providing structural support to cells as well as points of potential attachment. Although the ECM is a well-studied structure, its role in many biological processes remains difficult to investigate comprehensively due to its complexity and structural variation within an organism. In tandem with experiments, mathematical models are helpful in refining and testing hypotheses, generating predictions, and exploring conditions outside the scope of experiments. Such models can be combined and calibrated with in vivo and in vitro data to identify critical cell-ECM interactions that drive developmental and homeostatic processes, or the progression of diseases. In this review, we focus on mathematical and computational models of the ECM in processes such as cell migration including cancer metastasis, and in tissue structure and morphogenesis. By highlighting the predictive power of these models, we aim to help bridge the gap between experimental and computational approaches to studying the ECM and to provide guidance on selecting an appropriate model framework to complement corresponding experimental studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca M. Crossley
- Wolfson Centre for Mathematical Biology, Mathematical Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Samuel Johnson
- Wolfson Centre for Mathematical Biology, Mathematical Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Erika Tsingos
- Computational Developmental Biology Group, Institute of Biodynamics and Biocomplexity, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Zoe Bell
- Northern Institute for Cancer Research, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom
| | - Massimiliano Berardi
- LaserLab, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Optics11 life, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | | | - Quirine J. S. Braat
- Department of Applied Physics and Science Education, Eindhoven University of Technology, Eindhoven, Netherlands
| | - John Metzcar
- Department of Intelligent Systems Engineering, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, United States
- Department of Informatics, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, United States
| | | | - Yuan Yin
- Wolfson Centre for Mathematical Biology, Mathematical Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
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2
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Kim HS, Taghizadeh A, Taghizadeh M, Kim HW. Advanced materials technologies to unravel mechanobiological phenomena. Trends Biotechnol 2024; 42:179-196. [PMID: 37666712 DOI: 10.1016/j.tibtech.2023.08.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2023] [Revised: 08/06/2023] [Accepted: 08/07/2023] [Indexed: 09/06/2023]
Abstract
Advancements in materials-driven mechanobiology have yielded significant progress. Mechanobiology explores how cellular and tissue mechanics impact development, physiology, and disease, where extracellular matrix (ECM) dynamically interacts with cells. Biomaterial-based platforms emulate synthetic ECMs, offering precise control over cellular behaviors by adjusting mechanical properties. Recent technological advances enable in vitro models replicating active mechanical stimuli in vivo. These models manipulate cellular mechanics even at a subcellular level. In this review we discuss recent material-based mechanomodulatory studies in mechanobiology. We highlight the endeavors to mimic the dynamic properties of native ECM during pathophysiological processes like cellular homeostasis, lineage specification, development, aging, and disease progression. These insights may inform the design of accurate in vitro mechanomodulatory platforms that replicate ECM mechanics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hye Sung Kim
- Institute of Tissue Regeneration Engineering (ITREN), Dankook University, Cheonan 31116, Republic of Korea; Mechanobiology Dental Medicine Research Center, Dankook University, Cheonan 31116, Republic of Korea; Department of Nanobiomedical Science and BK21 NBM Global Research Center for Regenerative Medicine, Dankook University, Cheonan 31116, Republic of Korea
| | - Ali Taghizadeh
- Institute of Tissue Regeneration Engineering (ITREN), Dankook University, Cheonan 31116, Republic of Korea; Mechanobiology Dental Medicine Research Center, Dankook University, Cheonan 31116, Republic of Korea; Department of Nanobiomedical Science and BK21 NBM Global Research Center for Regenerative Medicine, Dankook University, Cheonan 31116, Republic of Korea
| | - Mohsen Taghizadeh
- Institute of Tissue Regeneration Engineering (ITREN), Dankook University, Cheonan 31116, Republic of Korea; Mechanobiology Dental Medicine Research Center, Dankook University, Cheonan 31116, Republic of Korea; Department of Nanobiomedical Science and BK21 NBM Global Research Center for Regenerative Medicine, Dankook University, Cheonan 31116, Republic of Korea
| | - Hae-Won Kim
- Institute of Tissue Regeneration Engineering (ITREN), Dankook University, Cheonan 31116, Republic of Korea; Mechanobiology Dental Medicine Research Center, Dankook University, Cheonan 31116, Republic of Korea; Department of Nanobiomedical Science and BK21 NBM Global Research Center for Regenerative Medicine, Dankook University, Cheonan 31116, Republic of Korea.
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3
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Kang DH, Wang S, Goh M, Park J, Na H, Lee WJ, Kim Y, Rahman MS, Tae G, Yoon MH. Synthesis of Superabsorbent Hydrogels with Predefined Geometries and Controlled Swelling Properties for Versatile 3D Cell Culture Scaffolds. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2024; 16:3031-3041. [PMID: 38224063 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.3c11999] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2024]
Abstract
This research presents a simple but general method to prepare water-soluble-polymer-based superabsorbent hydrogels with predefined microscale geometries and controlled swelling properties. Unlike conventional hydrogel preparation methods based on bulk solution-phase cross-linking, poly(vinyl alcohol) is homogeneously mixed with polymer-based cross-linkers in the solution phase and thermally cross-linked in the solid phase after drying; the degree of cross-linking is modulated by controlling the cross-linker concentration, pH, and/or thermal annealing conditions. After the shape definition process, cross-linked films or electrospun nanofibers are treated with sulfuric acid to weaken hydrogen bonds and introduce sulfate functionality in polymer crystallites. The resultant superabsorbent hydrogels exhibit an isotropic expansion of the predefined geometry and tunable swelling properties. Particularly, hydrogel microfibers exhibit excellent optical transparency, good biocompatibility, large porosity, and controlled cell adhesion, leading to versatile 3D cell culture scaffolds that not only support immortalized cell lines and primary neurons but also enable stiffness-modulated cell adhesion studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dong-Hee Kang
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, 123 Cheomdangwagi-ro, Buk-gu, Gwangju 61005, Republic of Korea
| | - Sungrok Wang
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, 123 Cheomdangwagi-ro, Buk-gu, Gwangju 61005, Republic of Korea
| | - MeeiChyn Goh
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, 123 Cheomdangwagi-ro, Buk-gu, Gwangju 61005, Republic of Korea
| | - Jaeil Park
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, 123 Cheomdangwagi-ro, Buk-gu, Gwangju 61005, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyeonjun Na
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, 123 Cheomdangwagi-ro, Buk-gu, Gwangju 61005, Republic of Korea
| | - Won-June Lee
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, 123 Cheomdangwagi-ro, Buk-gu, Gwangju 61005, Republic of Korea
| | - Young Kim
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, 123 Cheomdangwagi-ro, Buk-gu, Gwangju 61005, Republic of Korea
| | - Md Saifur Rahman
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, 123 Cheomdangwagi-ro, Buk-gu, Gwangju 61005, Republic of Korea
| | - Giyoong Tae
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, 123 Cheomdangwagi-ro, Buk-gu, Gwangju 61005, Republic of Korea
| | - Myung-Han Yoon
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, 123 Cheomdangwagi-ro, Buk-gu, Gwangju 61005, Republic of Korea
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4
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Lyu C, Kong W, Liu Z, Wang S, Zhao P, Liang K, Niu Y, Yang W, Xiang C, Hu X, Li X, Du Y. Advanced glycation end-products as mediators of the aberrant crosslinking of extracellular matrix in scarred liver tissue. Nat Biomed Eng 2023; 7:1437-1454. [PMID: 37037967 DOI: 10.1038/s41551-023-01019-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2022] [Accepted: 03/10/2023] [Indexed: 04/12/2023]
Abstract
The extracellular matrix of cirrhotic liver tissue is highly crosslinked. Here we show that advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) mediate crosslinking in liver extracellular matrix and that high levels of crosslinking are a hallmark of cirrhosis. We used liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry to quantify the degree of crosslinking of the matrix of decellularized cirrhotic liver samples from patients and from two mouse models of liver fibrosis and show that the structure, biomechanics and degree of AGE-mediated crosslinking of the matrices can be recapitulated in collagen matrix crosslinked by AGEs in vitro. Analyses via cryo-electron microscopy and optical tweezers revealed that crosslinked collagen fibrils form thick bundles with reduced stress relaxation rates; moreover, they resist remodelling by macrophages, leading to reductions in their levels of adhesion-associated proteins, altering HDAC3 expression and the organization of their cytoskeleton, and promoting a type II immune response of macrophages. We also show that rosmarinic acid inhibited AGE-mediated crosslinking and alleviated the progression of fibrosis in mice. Our findings support the development of therapeutics targeting crosslinked extracellular matrix in scarred liver tissue.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheng Lyu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Medicine, Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Wenyu Kong
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Medicine, Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Zhiqiang Liu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Medicine, Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Sihan Wang
- School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Peng Zhao
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Medicine, Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Kaini Liang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Medicine, Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Yudi Niu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Medicine, Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Wei Yang
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Beijing Tsinghua Changgung Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Canhong Xiang
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Beijing Tsinghua Changgung Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaoyu Hu
- Institute for Immunology and School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory for Immunological Research on Chronic Diseases, Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Xueming Li
- School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Yanan Du
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Medicine, Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China.
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5
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Gautam D, Srivastava A, Chowdhury R, Laskar IR, Rao VKP, Mukherjee S. Mechanical microscopy of cancer cells: TGF-β induced epithelial to mesenchymal transition corresponds to low intracellular viscosity in cancer cells. THE JOURNAL OF THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2023; 154:1787-1799. [PMID: 37725520 DOI: 10.1121/10.0020848] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2023] [Accepted: 08/21/2023] [Indexed: 09/21/2023]
Abstract
Viscosity is an essential parameter that regulates bio-molecular reaction rates of diffusion-driven cellular processes. Hence, abnormal viscosity levels are often associated with various diseases and malfunctions like cancer. For this reason, monitoring intracellular viscosity becomes vital. While several approaches have been developed for in vitro and in vivo measurement of viscosity, analysis of intracellular viscosity in live cells has not yet been well realized. Our research introduces a novel, natural frequency-based, non-invasive method to determine the intracellular viscosity in cells. This method can not only efficiently analyze the differences in intracellular viscosity post modulation with molecules like PEG or glucose but is sensitive enough to distinguish the difference in intra-cellular viscosity among various cancer cell lines such as Huh-7, MCF-7, and MDAMB-231. Interestingly, TGF-β a cytokine reported to induce epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT), a feature associated with cancer invasiveness resulted in reduced viscosity of cancer cells, as captured through our method. To corroborate our findings with existing methods of analysis, we analyzed intra-cellular viscosity with a previously described viscosity-sensitive molecular rotor-based fluorophore-TPSII. In parity with our position sensing device (PSD)-based approach, an increase in fluorescence intensity was observed with viscosity enhancers, while, TGF-β exposure resulted in its reduction in the cells studied. This is the first study of its kind that attempts to characterize differences in intracellular viscosity using a novel, non-invasive PSD-based method.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diplesh Gautam
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani, Rajasthan 333 031, India
| | - Abhilasha Srivastava
- Department of Biological Sciences, Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani, Rajasthan 333 031, India
| | - Rajdeep Chowdhury
- Department of Biological Sciences, Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani, Rajasthan 333 031, India
| | - Inamur R Laskar
- Department of Chemistry, Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani, Rajasthan 333 031, India
| | - Venkatesh K P Rao
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani, Rajasthan 333 031, India
| | - Sudeshna Mukherjee
- Department of Biological Sciences, Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani, Rajasthan 333 031, India
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6
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Bidone TC, Odde DJ. Multiscale models of integrins and cellular adhesions. Curr Opin Struct Biol 2023; 80:102576. [PMID: 36947952 PMCID: PMC10238663 DOI: 10.1016/j.sbi.2023.102576] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2022] [Revised: 02/16/2023] [Accepted: 02/17/2023] [Indexed: 03/24/2023]
Abstract
Computational models of integrin-based adhesion complexes have revealed important insights into the mechanisms by which cells establish connections with their external environment. However, how changes in conformation and function of individual adhesion proteins regulate the dynamics of whole adhesion complexes remains largely elusive. This is because of the large separation in time and length scales between the dynamics of individual adhesion proteins (nanoseconds and nanometers) and the emergent dynamics of the whole adhesion complex (seconds and micrometers), and the limitations of molecular simulation approaches in extracting accurate free energies, conformational transitions, reaction mechanisms, and kinetic rates, that can inform mechanisms at the larger scales. In this review, we discuss models of integrin-based adhesion complexes and highlight their main findings regarding: (i) the conformational transitions of integrins at the molecular and macromolecular scales and (ii) the molecular clutch mechanism at the mesoscale. Lastly, we present unanswered questions in the field of modeling adhesions and propose new ideas for future exciting modeling opportunities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tamara C Bidone
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Scientific Computing and Imaging Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA.
| | - David J Odde
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA. https://twitter.com/davidodde
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7
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Ganguly K, Dutta SD, Randhawa A, Patel DK, Patil TV, Lim KT. Transcriptomic Changes toward Osteogenic Differentiation of Mesenchymal Stem Cells on 3D-Printed GelMA/CNC Hydrogel under Pulsatile Pressure Environment. Adv Healthc Mater 2023; 12:e2202163. [PMID: 36637340 DOI: 10.1002/adhm.202202163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2022] [Revised: 12/20/2022] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Biomimetic soft hydrogels used in bone tissue engineering frequently produce unsatisfactory outcomes. Here, it is investigated how human bone-marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hBMSCs) differentiated into early osteoblasts on remarkably soft 3D hydrogel (70 ± 0.00049 Pa). Specifically, hBMSCs seeded onto cellulose nanocrystals incorporated methacrylate gelatin hydrogels are subjected to pulsatile pressure stimulation (PPS) of 5-20 kPa for 7 days. The PPS stimulates cellular processes such as mechanotransduction, cytoskeletal distribution, prohibition of oxidative stress, calcium homeostasis, osteogenic marker gene expression, and osteo-specific cytokine secretions in hBMSCs on soft substrates. The involvement of Piezo 1 is the main ion channel involved in mechanotransduction. Additionally, RNA-sequencing results reveal differential gene expression concerning osteogenic differentiation, bone mineralization, ion channel activity, and focal adhesion. These findings suggest a practical and highly scalable method for promoting stem cell commitment to osteogenesis on soft matrices for clinical reconstruction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keya Ganguly
- Department of Biosystems Engineering, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon, 24341, Republic of Korea
| | - Sayan Deb Dutta
- Department of Biosystems Engineering, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon, 24341, Republic of Korea
| | - Aayushi Randhawa
- Department of Biosystems Engineering, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon, 24341, Republic of Korea
- Interdisciplinary Program in Smart Agriculture, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon, 24341, Republic of Korea
| | - Dinesh K Patel
- Institute of Forest Science, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon, 24341, Republic of Korea
| | - Tejal V Patil
- Department of Biosystems Engineering, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon, 24341, Republic of Korea
- Interdisciplinary Program in Smart Agriculture, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon, 24341, Republic of Korea
| | - Ki-Taek Lim
- Department of Biosystems Engineering, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon, 24341, Republic of Korea
- Interdisciplinary Program in Smart Agriculture, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon, 24341, Republic of Korea
- Institute of Forest Science, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon, 24341, Republic of Korea
- Biomechagen Co., Ltd., Chuncheon, 24341, Republic of Korea
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8
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Rashad A, Grøndahl M, Heggset EB, Mustafa K, Syverud K. Responses of Rat Mesenchymal Stromal Cells to Nanocellulose with Different Functional Groups. ACS APPLIED BIO MATERIALS 2023; 6:987-998. [PMID: 36763504 PMCID: PMC10031564 DOI: 10.1021/acsabm.2c00794] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/11/2023]
Abstract
Cellulose nanofibrils (CNFs) are multiscale hydrophilic biocompatible polysaccharide materials derived from wood and plants. TEMPO-mediated oxidation of CNFs (TO-CNF) turns some of the primary hydroxyl groups to carboxylate and aldehyde groups. Unlike carboxylic functional groups, there is little or no information about the biological role of the aldehyde groups on the surface of wood-based CNFs. In this work, we replaced the aldehyde groups in the TO-CNF samples with carboxyl groups by another oxidation treatment (TO-O-CNF) or with primary alcohols with terminal hydroxyl groups by a reduction reaction (TO-R-CNF). Rat mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSCs) derived from bone marrow were seeded on polystyrene tissue culture plates (TCP) coated with CNFs with and without aldehyde groups. TCP and TCP coated with bacterial nanocellulose (BNC) were used as control groups. Protein adsorption measurements demonstrated that more proteins were adsorbed from cell culture media on all CNF surfaces compared to BNC. Live/dead and lactate dehydrogenase assays confirmed that all nanocellulose biomaterials supported excellent cell viability. Interestingly, TO-R-CNF samples, which have no aldehyde groups, showed better cell spreading than BNC and comparable results to TCP. Unlike TO-O-CNF surfaces, which have no aldehyde groups either, TO-R-CNF stimulated cells, in osteogenic medium, to have higher alkaline phosphatase activity and to form more biomineralization than TCP and TO-CNF groups. These findings indicate that the presence of aldehyde groups (280 ± 14 μmol/g) on the surface of TEMPO-oxidized CNFs might have little or no effect on attachment, proliferation, and osteogenic differentiation of MSCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahmad Rashad
- Center of Translational Oral Research (TOR), Department of Clinical Dentistry, University of Bergen, Bergen 5009, Norway
| | - Martha Grøndahl
- Department of Biotechnology and Food Science, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim 7491, Norway
| | | | - Kamal Mustafa
- Center of Translational Oral Research (TOR), Department of Clinical Dentistry, University of Bergen, Bergen 5009, Norway
| | - Kristin Syverud
- RISE PFI, Trondheim 7491, Norway
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim 7491, Norway
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9
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Choi JW, Youn J, Kim DS, Park TE. Human iPS-derived blood-brain barrier model exhibiting enhanced barrier properties empowered by engineered basement membrane. Biomaterials 2023; 293:121983. [PMID: 36610323 DOI: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2022.121983] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2022] [Revised: 10/17/2022] [Accepted: 12/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
The basement membrane (BM) of the blood-brain barrier (BBB), a thin extracellular matrix (ECM) sheet underneath the brain microvascular endothelial cells (BMECs), plays crucial roles in regulating the unique physiological barrier function of the BBB, which represents a major obstacle for brain drug delivery. Owing to the difficulty in mimicking the unique biophysical and chemical features of BM in in vitro systems, current in vitro BBB models have suffered from poor physiological relevance. Here, we describe a highly ameliorated human BBB model accomplished by an ultra-thin ECM hydrogel-based engineered basement membrane (nEBM), which is supported by a sparse electrospun nanofiber scaffold that offers in vivo BM-like microenvironment to BMECs. BBB model reconstituted on a nEBM recapitulates the physical barrier function of the in vivo human BBB through ECM mechano-response to physiological relevant stiffness (∼500 kPa) and exhibits high efflux pump activity. These features of the proposed BBB model enable modelling of ischemic stroke, reproducing the dynamic changes of BBB, immune cell infiltration, and drug response. Therefore, the proposed BBB model represents a powerful tool for predicting the BBB permeation of drugs and developing therapeutic strategies for brain diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeong-Won Choi
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Information and Biotechnology, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), Ulsan, 44919, Republic of Korea
| | - Jaeseung Youn
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), Pohang, 37673, Republic of Korea
| | - Dong Sung Kim
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), Pohang, 37673, Republic of Korea; Department of Chemical Engineering, Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), Pohang, 37673, Republic of Korea; Institute for Convergence Research and Education in Advanced Technology, Yonsei University, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea.
| | - Tae-Eun Park
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Information and Biotechnology, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), Ulsan, 44919, Republic of Korea.
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10
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McEvoy E, Sneh T, Moeendarbary E, Javanmardi Y, Efimova N, Yang C, Marino-Bravante GE, Chen X, Escribano J, Spill F, Garcia-Aznar JM, Weeraratna AT, Svitkina TM, Kamm RD, Shenoy VB. Feedback between mechanosensitive signaling and active forces governs endothelial junction integrity. Nat Commun 2022; 13:7089. [PMID: 36402771 PMCID: PMC9675837 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-34701-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2021] [Accepted: 11/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The formation and recovery of gaps in the vascular endothelium governs a wide range of physiological and pathological phenomena, from angiogenesis to tumor cell extravasation. However, the interplay between the mechanical and signaling processes that drive dynamic behavior in vascular endothelial cells is not well understood. In this study, we propose a chemo-mechanical model to investigate the regulation of endothelial junctions as dependent on the feedback between actomyosin contractility, VE-cadherin bond turnover, and actin polymerization, which mediate the forces exerted on the cell-cell interface. Simulations reveal that active cell tension can stabilize cadherin bonds, but excessive RhoA signaling can drive bond dissociation and junction failure. While actin polymerization aids gap closure, high levels of Rac1 can induce junction weakening. Combining the modeling framework with experiments, our model predicts the influence of pharmacological treatments on the junction state and identifies that a critical balance between RhoA and Rac1 expression is required to maintain junction stability. Our proposed framework can help guide the development of therapeutics that target the Rho family of GTPases and downstream active mechanical processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eoin McEvoy
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA.,Center for Engineering Mechanobiology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA.,Biomedical Engineering, University of Galway, Galway, H91 HX31, Ireland
| | - Tal Sneh
- Center for Engineering Mechanobiology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA.,Center for Molecular Design and Biomimetics, The Biodesign Institute, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, 85287, USA
| | - Emad Moeendarbary
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University College London, London, WC1E 7JE, UK.,Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Yousef Javanmardi
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University College London, London, WC1E 7JE, UK
| | - Nadia Efimova
- Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Changsong Yang
- Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Gloria E Marino-Bravante
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA.,Department of Oncology, Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Xingyu Chen
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA.,Center for Engineering Mechanobiology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Jorge Escribano
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Zaragoza, Zaragoza, Spain
| | - Fabian Spill
- School of Mathematics, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, B15 2TT, United Kingdom
| | | | - Ashani T Weeraratna
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA.,Department of Oncology, Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Tatyana M Svitkina
- Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Roger D Kamm
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Vivek B Shenoy
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA. .,Center for Engineering Mechanobiology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA.
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11
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Chen PC, Feng XQ, Li B. Unified multiscale theory of cellular mechanical adaptations to substrate stiffness. Biophys J 2022; 121:3474-3485. [PMID: 35978549 PMCID: PMC9515123 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2022.08.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2022] [Revised: 07/27/2022] [Accepted: 08/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Rigidity of the extracellular matrix markedly regulates many cellular processes. However, how cells detect and respond to matrix rigidity remains incompletely understood. Here, we propose a unified two-dimensional multiscale framework accounting for the chemomechanical feedback to explore the interrelated cellular mechanosensing, polarization, and migration, which constitute the dynamic cascade in cellular response to matrix stiffness but are often modeled separately in previous theories. By combining integrin dynamics and intracellular force transduction, we show that substrate stiffness can act as a switch to activate or deactivate cell polarization. Our theory quantitatively reproduces rich stiffness-dependent cellular dynamics, including spreading, polarity selection, migration pattern, durotaxis, and even negative durotaxis, reported in a wide spectrum of cell types, and reconciles some inconsistent experimental observations. We find that a specific bipolarized mode can determine the optimal substrate stiffness, which enables the fastest cell migration rather than the largest traction forces that cells apply on the substrate. We identify that such a mechanical adaptation stems from the force balance across the whole cell. These findings could yield universal insights into various stiffness-mediated cellular processes within the context of tissue morphogenesis, wound healing, and cancer invasion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peng-Cheng Chen
- Institute of Biomechanics and Medical Engineering, Applied Mechanics Laboratory, Department of Engineering Mechanics, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Xi-Qiao Feng
- Institute of Biomechanics and Medical Engineering, Applied Mechanics Laboratory, Department of Engineering Mechanics, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Bo Li
- Institute of Biomechanics and Medical Engineering, Applied Mechanics Laboratory, Department of Engineering Mechanics, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China.
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12
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Jiang S, Alisafaei F, Huang YY, Hong Y, Peng X, Qu C, Puapatanakul P, Jain S, Miner JH, Genin GM, Suleiman HY. An ex vivo culture model of kidney podocyte injury reveals mechanosensitive, synaptopodin-templating, sarcomere-like structures. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2022; 8:eabn6027. [PMID: 36044576 PMCID: PMC9432837 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abn6027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2021] [Accepted: 07/15/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Chronic kidney diseases are widespread and incurable. The biophysical mechanisms underlying them are unclear, in part because material systems for reconstituting the microenvironment of relevant kidney cells are limited. A critical question is how kidney podocytes (glomerular epithelial cells) regenerate foot processes of the filtration apparatus following injury. Recently identified sarcomere-like structures (SLSs) with periodically spaced myosin IIA and synaptopodin appear in injured podocytes in vivo. We hypothesized that SLSs template synaptopodin in the initial stages of recovery in response to microenvironmental stimuli and tested this hypothesis by developing an ex vivo culture system that allows control of the podocyte microenvironment. Results supported our hypothesis. SLSs in podocytes that migrated from isolated kidney glomeruli presented periodic synaptopodin-positive clusters that nucleated peripheral, foot process-like extensions. SLSs were mechanoresponsive to actomyosin inhibitors and substrate stiffness. Results suggest SLSs as mechanobiological mediators of podocyte recovery and as potential targets for therapeutic intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shumeng Jiang
- NSF Science and Technology Center for Engineering Mechanobiology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
- Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Farid Alisafaei
- NSF Science and Technology Center for Engineering Mechanobiology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
- Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, NJ, USA
| | - Yin-Yuan Huang
- Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Yuan Hong
- NSF Science and Technology Center for Engineering Mechanobiology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
- Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Xiangjun Peng
- NSF Science and Technology Center for Engineering Mechanobiology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
- Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Chengqing Qu
- NSF Science and Technology Center for Engineering Mechanobiology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
- Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Pongpratch Puapatanakul
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Sanjay Jain
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Jeffrey H. Miner
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Guy M. Genin
- NSF Science and Technology Center for Engineering Mechanobiology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
- Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Hani Y. Suleiman
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
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13
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Senthilkumar I, Howley E, McEvoy E. Thermodynamically-motivated chemo-mechanical models and multicellular simulation to provide new insight into active cell and tumour remodelling. Exp Cell Res 2022; 419:113317. [PMID: 36028058 DOI: 10.1016/j.yexcr.2022.113317] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2022] [Revised: 07/19/2022] [Accepted: 08/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Computational models can shape our understanding of cell and tissue remodelling, from cell spreading, to active force generation, adhesion, and growth. In this mini-review, we discuss recent progress in modelling of chemo-mechanical cell behaviour and the evolution of multicellular systems. In particular, we highlight recent advances in (i) free-energy based single cell models that can provide new fundamental insight into cell spreading, cancer cell invasion, stem cell differentiation, and remodelling in disease, and (ii) mechanical agent-based models to simulate large numbers of discrete interacting cells in proliferative tumours. We describe how new biological understanding has emerged from such theoretical models, and the trade-offs and constraints associated with current approaches. Ultimately, we aim to make a case for why theory should be integrated with an experimental workflow to optimise new in-vitro studies, to predict feedback between cells and their microenvironment, and to deepen understanding of active cell behaviour.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irish Senthilkumar
- School of Computer Science, College of Science and Engineering, National University of Ireland Galway, Ireland; Biomedical Engineering, College of Science and Engineering, National University of Ireland Galway, Ireland
| | - Enda Howley
- School of Computer Science, College of Science and Engineering, National University of Ireland Galway, Ireland
| | - Eoin McEvoy
- Biomedical Engineering, College of Science and Engineering, National University of Ireland Galway, Ireland.
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14
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Benvenuti E, Reho GA, Palumbo S, Fraldi M. Pre-strains and buckling in mechanosensitivity of contractile cells and focal adhesions: A tensegrity model. J Mech Behav Biomed Mater 2022; 135:105413. [PMID: 36057207 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmbbm.2022.105413] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2022] [Revised: 08/04/2022] [Accepted: 08/05/2022] [Indexed: 10/31/2022]
Abstract
We demonstrate that several key aspects of the contractile activity of a cell interacting with the substrate can be captured by means of a non linear elastic tensegrity mechanical system made of a tensile element in parallel with a buckling-prone component, and exchanging forces with the surroundings through an extracellular matrix-focal adhesion complex. Mechanosensitivity of the focal adhesion plaque is triggered by pre-strain-driven buckling of the system induced either by pre-contraction or pre-polymerization of the constituents. The impact of pre-polymerization on the mechanical force and the implications of using linear and nonlinear elasticity for the focal adhesion plaque are assessed.
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Affiliation(s)
- E Benvenuti
- Engineering Department, University of Ferrara, Italy.
| | - G A Reho
- Engineering Department, University of Ferrara, Italy
| | - S Palumbo
- Department of Structures for Engineering and Architecture, University of Napoli Federico II, Italy
| | - M Fraldi
- Department of Structures for Engineering and Architecture, University of Napoli Federico II, Italy.
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15
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Harati J, Tao X, Shahsavarani H, Du P, Galluzzi M, Liu K, Zhang Z, Shaw P, Shokrgozar MA, Pan H, Wang PY. Polydopamine-Mediated Protein Adsorption Alters the Epigenetic Status and Differentiation of Primary Human Adipose-Derived Stem Cells (hASCs). Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2022; 10:934179. [PMID: 36032703 PMCID: PMC9399727 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2022.934179] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2022] [Accepted: 06/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Polydopamine (PDA) is a biocompatible cell-adhesive polymer with versatile applications in biomedical devices. Previous studies have shown that PDA coating could improve cell adhesion and differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs). However, there is still a knowledge gap in the effect of PDA-mediated protein adsorption on the epigenetic status of MSCs. This work used gelatin-coated cell culture surfaces with and without PDA underlayer (Gel and PDA-Gel) to culture and differentiate primary human adipose-derived stem cells (hASCs). The properties of these two substrates were significantly different, which, in combination with a variation in extracellular matrix (ECM) protein bioactivity, regulated cell adhesion and migration. hASCs reduced focal adhesions by downregulating the expression of integrins such as αV, α1, α2, and β1 on the PDA-Gel compared to the Gel substrate. Interestingly, the ratio of H3K27me3 to H3K27me3+H3K4me3 was decreased, but this only occurred for upregulation of AGG and BMP4 genes during chondrogenic differentiation. This result implies that the PDA-Gel surface positively affects the chondrogenic, but not adipogenic and osteogenic, differentiation. In conclusion, for the first time, this study demonstrates the sequential effects of PDA coating on the biophysical property of adsorbed protein and then focal adhesions and differentiation of hMSCs through epigenetic regulation. This study sheds light on PDA-mediated mechanotransduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Javad Harati
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Biomimetic Materials and Cellular Immunomodulation, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China
- Shenzhen College of Advanced Technology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Lab Regenerative Medicine and Biomedical Innovations, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran
| | - Xuelian Tao
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Biomimetic Materials and Cellular Immunomodulation, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China
| | - Hosein Shahsavarani
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Life Science and Biotechnology, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Ping Du
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Biomimetic Materials and Cellular Immunomodulation, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China
| | - Massimiliano Galluzzi
- Materials Interfaces Center, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China
| | - Kun Liu
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Biomimetic Materials and Cellular Immunomodulation, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China
| | - Zhen Zhang
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Biomimetic Materials and Cellular Immunomodulation, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China
- Shenzhen College of Advanced Technology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Peter Shaw
- Oujiang Laboratory, Key Laboratory of Alzheimer’s Disease of Zhejiang Province, Institute of Aging, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Mohammad Ali Shokrgozar
- Lab Regenerative Medicine and Biomedical Innovations, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran
| | - Haobo Pan
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Biomimetic Materials and Cellular Immunomodulation, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China
- *Correspondence: Peng-Yuan Wang, ; Haobo Pan,
| | - Peng-Yuan Wang
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Biomimetic Materials and Cellular Immunomodulation, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China
- Oujiang Laboratory, Key Laboratory of Alzheimer’s Disease of Zhejiang Province, Institute of Aging, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Peng-Yuan Wang, ; Haobo Pan,
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16
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Aparicio-Yuste R, Muenkel M, Clark AG, Gómez-Benito MJ, Bastounis EE. A Stiff Extracellular Matrix Favors the Mechanical Cell Competition that Leads to Extrusion of Bacterially-Infected Epithelial Cells. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:912318. [PMID: 35813215 PMCID: PMC9257086 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.912318] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2022] [Accepted: 05/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Cell competition refers to the mechanism whereby less fit cells (“losers”) are sensed and eliminated by more fit neighboring cells (“winners”) and arises during many processes including intracellular bacterial infection. Extracellular matrix (ECM) stiffness can regulate important cellular functions, such as motility, by modulating the physical forces that cells transduce and could thus modulate the output of cellular competitions. Herein, we employ a computational model to investigate the previously overlooked role of ECM stiffness in modulating the forceful extrusion of infected “loser” cells by uninfected “winner” cells. We find that increasing ECM stiffness promotes the collective squeezing and subsequent extrusion of infected cells due to differential cell displacements and cellular force generation. Moreover, we discover that an increase in the ratio of uninfected to infected cell stiffness as well as a smaller infection focus size, independently promote squeezing of infected cells, and this phenomenon is more prominent on stiffer compared to softer matrices. Our experimental findings validate the computational predictions by demonstrating increased collective cell extrusion on stiff matrices and glass as opposed to softer matrices, which is associated with decreased bacterial spread in the basal cell monolayer in vitro. Collectively, our results suggest that ECM stiffness plays a major role in modulating the competition between infected and uninfected cells, with stiffer matrices promoting this battle through differential modulation of cell mechanics between the two cell populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raúl Aparicio-Yuste
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Multiscale in Mechanical and Biological Engineering (M2BE), Instituto de Investigación en Ingeniería de Aragón (I3A), University of Zaragoza, Zaragoza, Spain
- Interfaculty Institute of Microbiology and Infection Medicine, Cluster of Excellence “Controlling Microbes to Fight Infections” (CMFI, EXC 2124), University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Marie Muenkel
- Interfaculty Institute of Microbiology and Infection Medicine, Cluster of Excellence “Controlling Microbes to Fight Infections” (CMFI, EXC 2124), University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Andrew G. Clark
- Institute of Cell Biology and Immunology/Stuttgart Research Center Systems Biology, University of Stuttgart, Stuttgart, Germany
- Center for Personalized Medicine, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - María J. Gómez-Benito
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Multiscale in Mechanical and Biological Engineering (M2BE), Instituto de Investigación en Ingeniería de Aragón (I3A), University of Zaragoza, Zaragoza, Spain
- *Correspondence: María J. Gómez-Benito, ; Effie E. Bastounis,
| | - Effie E. Bastounis
- Interfaculty Institute of Microbiology and Infection Medicine, Cluster of Excellence “Controlling Microbes to Fight Infections” (CMFI, EXC 2124), University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
- *Correspondence: María J. Gómez-Benito, ; Effie E. Bastounis,
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17
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Palumbo S, Benvenuti E, Fraldi M. Actomyosin contractility and buckling of microtubules in nucleation, growth and disassembling of focal adhesions. Biomech Model Mechanobiol 2022; 21:1187-1200. [PMID: 35614374 PMCID: PMC9283365 DOI: 10.1007/s10237-022-01584-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2021] [Accepted: 04/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Building up and maintenance of cytoskeletal structure in living cells are force-dependent processes involving a dynamic chain of polymerization and depolymerization events, which are also at the basis of cells’ remodelling and locomotion. All these phenomena develop by establishing cell–matrix interfaces made of protein complexes, known as focal adhesions, which govern mechanosensing and mechanotransduction mechanisms mediated by stress transmission between cell interior and external environment. Within this framework, by starting from a work by Cao et al. (Biophys J 109:1807–1817, 2015), we here investigate the role played by actomyosin contractility of stress fibres in nucleation, growth and disassembling of focal adhesions. In particular, we propose a tensegrity model of an adherent cell incorporating nonlinear elasticity and unstable behaviours, which provides a new kinematical interpretation of cellular contractile forces and describes how stress fibres, microtubules and adhesion plaques interact mechanobiologically. The results confirm some experimental evidences and suggest how the actomyosin contraction level could be exploited by cells to actively control their adhesion, eventually triggering cytoskeleton reconfigurations and migration processes observed in both physiological conditions and diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Palumbo
- Department of Structures for Engineering and Architecture, University of Napoli "Federico II", Napoli, Italy
| | - E Benvenuti
- Department of Engineering, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
| | - M Fraldi
- Department of Structures for Engineering and Architecture, University of Napoli "Federico II", Napoli, Italy.
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18
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Carvalho EM, Kumar S. Lose the stress: Viscoelastic materials for cell engineering. Acta Biomater 2022; 163:146-157. [PMID: 35405329 DOI: 10.1016/j.actbio.2022.03.058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2021] [Revised: 03/21/2022] [Accepted: 03/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Biomaterials are widely used to study and control a variety of cell behaviors, including stem cell differentiation, organogenesis, and tumor invasion. While considerable attention has historically been paid to biomaterial elastic (storage) properties, it has recently become clear that viscous (loss) properties can also powerfully influence cell behavior. Here we review advances in viscoelastic materials for cell engineering. We begin by discussing collagen, an abundant naturally occurring biomaterial that derives its viscoelastic properties from its fibrillar architecture, which enables dissipation of applied stresses. We then turn to two other naturally occurring biomaterials that are more frequently modified for engineering applications, alginate and hyaluronic acid, whose viscoelastic properties may be tuned by modulating network composition and crosslinking. We also discuss the potential of exploiting engineered fibrous materials, particularly electrospun fiber-based materials, to control viscoelastic properties. Finally, we review mechanisms through which cells process viscous and viscoelastic cues as they move along and within these materials. The ability of viscoelastic materials to relax cell-imposed stresses can dramatically alter migration on two-dimensional surfaces and confinement-imposed barriers to engraftment and infiltration in three-dimensional scaffolds. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: Most tissues and many biomaterials exhibit some viscous character, a property that is increasingly understood to influence cell behavior in profound ways. This review discusses the origin and significance of viscoelastic properties of common biomaterials, as well as how these cues are processed by cells to influence migration. A deeper understanding of the mechanisms of viscoelastic behavior in biomaterials and how cells interpret these inputs should aid the design and selection of biomaterials for specific applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily M Carvalho
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Sanjay Kumar
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA; San Francisco Graduate, Program in Bioengineering, University of California, Berkeley-University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA; Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA; Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA.
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19
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Guo Y, Calve S, Tepole AB. Multiscale mechanobiology: Coupling models of adhesion kinetics and nonlinear tissue mechanics. Biophys J 2022; 121:525-539. [PMID: 35074393 PMCID: PMC8874030 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2022.01.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2021] [Revised: 12/13/2021] [Accepted: 01/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The mechanical behavior of tissues at the macroscale is tightly coupled to cellular activity at the microscale. Dermal wound healing is a prominent example of a complex system in which multiscale mechanics regulate restoration of tissue form and function. In cutaneous wound healing, a fibrin matrix is populated by fibroblasts migrating in from a surrounding tissue made mostly out of collagen. Fibroblasts both respond to mechanical cues, such as fiber alignment and stiffness, as well as exert active stresses needed for wound closure. Here, we develop a multiscale model with a two-way coupling between a microscale cell adhesion model and a macroscale tissue mechanics model. Starting from the well-known model of adhesion kinetics proposed by Bell, we extend the formulation to account for nonlinear mechanics of fibrin and collagen and show how this nonlinear response naturally captures stretch-driven mechanosensing. We then embed the new nonlinear adhesion model into a custom finite element implementation of tissue mechanical equilibrium. Strains and stresses at the tissue level are coupled with the solution of the microscale adhesion model at each integration point of the finite element mesh. In addition, solution of the adhesion model is coupled with the active contractile stress of the cell population. The multiscale model successfully captures the mechanical response of biopolymer fibers and gels, contractile stresses generated by fibroblasts, and stress-strain contours observed during wound healing. We anticipate that this framework will not only increase our understanding of how mechanical cues guide cellular behavior in cutaneous wound healing, but will also be helpful in the study of mechanobiology, growth, and remodeling in other tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yifan Guo
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette
| | - Sarah Calve
- Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette,Paul M. Rady Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Colorado - Boulder, Boulder
| | - Adrian Buganza Tepole
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette; Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette.
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20
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Baskapan B, Callanan A. Electrospinning Fabrication Methods to Incorporate Laminin in Polycaprolactone for Kidney Tissue Engineering. Tissue Eng Regen Med 2022; 19:73-82. [PMID: 34714533 PMCID: PMC8782962 DOI: 10.1007/s13770-021-00398-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2021] [Revised: 08/23/2021] [Accepted: 09/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Today's treatment options for renal diseases fall behind the need, as the number of patients has increased considerably over the last few decades. Tissue engineering (TE) is one avenue which may provide a new approach for renal disease treatment. This involves creating a niche where seeded cells can function in an intended way. One approach to TE is combining natural extracellular matrix proteins with synthetic polymers, which has been shown to have many positives, yet a little is understood in kidney. Herein, we investigate the incorporation of laminin into polycaprolactone electrospun scaffolds. METHOD The scaffolds were enriched with laminin via either direct blending with polymer solution or in a form of emulsion with a surfactant. Renal epithelial cells (RC-124) were cultured on scaffolds up to 21 days. RESULTS Mechanical characterization demonstrated that the addition of the protein changed Young's modulus of polymeric fibres. Cell viability and DNA quantification tests revealed the capability of the scaffolds to maintain cell survival up to 3 weeks in culture. Gene expression analysis indicated healthy cells via three key markers. CONCLUSION Our results show the importance of hybrid scaffolds for kidney tissue engineering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Büsra Baskapan
- grid.4305.20000 0004 1936 7988Institute for Bioengineering, School of Engineering, University of Edinburgh, Faraday Building, King’s Buildings, Colin Maclaurin Road, Edinburg, EH9 3DW UK
| | - Anthony Callanan
- grid.4305.20000 0004 1936 7988Institute for Bioengineering, School of Engineering, University of Edinburgh, Faraday Building, King’s Buildings, Colin Maclaurin Road, Edinburg, EH9 3DW UK
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21
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Physically-based structural modeling of a typical regenerative tissue analog bridges material macroscale continuum and cellular microscale discreteness and elucidates the hierarchical characteristics of cell-matrix interaction. J Mech Behav Biomed Mater 2021; 126:104956. [PMID: 34930707 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmbbm.2021.104956] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2021] [Revised: 10/22/2021] [Accepted: 11/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
This paper presents a comprehensive physically-based structural modelling for the passive and active biomechanical processes in a typical engineered tissue - namely, cell-compacted collagen gel. First, it introduces a sinusoidal curve analog for quantifying the mechanical response of the collagen fibrils and a probability distribution function of the characteristic crimp ratio for taking into account the fibrillar geometric entropic effect. The constitutive framework based on these structural characteristics precisely reproduces the nonlinearity, the viscoelasticity, and fairly captures the Poisson effect exhibiting in the macroscale tensile tests; which, therefore, substantially validates the structural modelling for the analysis of the cell-gel interaction during collagen gel compaction. Second, a deterministic molecular clutch model specific to the interaction between the cell pseudopodium and the collagen network is developed, which emphasizes the dependence of traction force on clutch number altering with the retrograde flow velocity, actin polymeric velocity, and the deformation of the stretched fibril. The modelling reveals the hierarchical features of cellular substrate sensing, i.e. a biphasic traction force response to substrate elasticity begins at the level of individual fibrils and develops into the second biphasic sensing by means of the fibrillar number integration at the whole-cell level. Singular in crossing the realms of continuum and discrete mechanics, the methodologies developed in this study for modelling the filamentous materials and cell-fibril interaction deliver deep insight into the temporospatially dynamic 3D cell-matrix interaction, and are able to bridge the cellular microscale and material macroscale in the exploration of related topics in mechanobiology.
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22
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Doron G, Temenoff JS. Culture Substrates for Improved Manufacture of Mesenchymal Stromal Cell Therapies. Adv Healthc Mater 2021; 10:e2100016. [PMID: 33930252 DOI: 10.1002/adhm.202100016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2021] [Revised: 03/22/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Recent developments in mesenchymal stromal cell (MSC) therapies have increased the demand for tools to improve their manufacture, including the selection of optimal culture substrate materials. While many clinical manufacturers use planar tissue culture plastic (TCP) surfaces for MSC production, others have begun exploring the use of alternative culture substrates that present a variety of spatial, mechanical, and biochemical cues that influence cell expansion and resulting cell quality. In this review, the effects of culture and material properties distinct from traditional planar TCP surfaces on MSC proliferation, surface marker expression, and commonly used indications for therapeutic potency are examined. The different properties summarized include the use of alternative culture formats such as cellular aggregates or 3D scaffolds, as well as the effects of culture substrate stiffness and presentation of specific adhesive ligands and topographical cues. Specific substrate properties can be related to greater cell expansion and improvement in specific therapeutic functionalities, demonstrating the utility of culture materials in further improving the clinical-scale manufacture of highly secretory MSC products.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gilad Doron
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University 313 Ferst Drive Atlanta GA 30332 USA
- Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience Georgia Institute of Technology Atlanta GA 30332 USA
| | - Johnna S. Temenoff
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University 313 Ferst Drive Atlanta GA 30332 USA
- Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience Georgia Institute of Technology Atlanta GA 30332 USA
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Eichinger JF, Grill MJ, Kermani ID, Aydin RC, Wall WA, Humphrey JD, Cyron CJ. A computational framework for modeling cell-matrix interactions in soft biological tissues. Biomech Model Mechanobiol 2021; 20:1851-1870. [PMID: 34173132 PMCID: PMC8450219 DOI: 10.1007/s10237-021-01480-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2021] [Accepted: 06/08/2021] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Living soft tissues appear to promote the development and maintenance of a preferred mechanical state within a defined tolerance around a so-called set point. This phenomenon is often referred to as mechanical homeostasis. In contradiction to the prominent role of mechanical homeostasis in various (patho)physiological processes, its underlying micromechanical mechanisms acting on the level of individual cells and fibers remain poorly understood, especially how these mechanisms on the microscale lead to what we macroscopically call mechanical homeostasis. Here, we present a novel computational framework based on the finite element method that is constructed bottom up, that is, it models key mechanobiological mechanisms such as actin cytoskeleton contraction and molecular clutch behavior of individual cells interacting with a reconstructed three-dimensional extracellular fiber matrix. The framework reproduces many experimental observations regarding mechanical homeostasis on short time scales (hours), in which the deposition and degradation of extracellular matrix can largely be neglected. This model can serve as a systematic tool for future in silico studies of the origin of the numerous still unexplained experimental observations about mechanical homeostasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonas F Eichinger
- Institute for Computational Mechanics, Technical University of Munich, Garching, 85748, Germany.,Institute for Continuum and Materials Mechanics, Hamburg University of Technology, Hamburg, 21073, Germany
| | - Maximilian J Grill
- Institute for Computational Mechanics, Technical University of Munich, Garching, 85748, Germany
| | - Iman Davoodi Kermani
- Institute for Computational Mechanics, Technical University of Munich, Garching, 85748, Germany
| | - Roland C Aydin
- Institute of Material Systems Modeling, Helmholtz-Zentrum Hereon, Geesthacht, 21502, Germany
| | - Wolfgang A Wall
- Institute for Computational Mechanics, Technical University of Munich, Garching, 85748, Germany
| | - Jay D Humphrey
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, CT, 06520, USA
| | - Christian J Cyron
- Institute for Continuum and Materials Mechanics, Hamburg University of Technology, Hamburg, 21073, Germany. .,Institute of Material Systems Modeling, Helmholtz-Zentrum Hereon, Geesthacht, 21502, Germany.
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24
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Grewal MG, Highley CB. Electrospun hydrogels for dynamic culture systems: advantages, progress, and opportunities. Biomater Sci 2021; 9:4228-4245. [PMID: 33522527 PMCID: PMC8205946 DOI: 10.1039/d0bm01588a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
The extracellular matrix (ECM) is a water-swollen, tissue-specific material environment in which biophysiochemical signals are organized and influence cell behaviors. Electrospun nanofibrous substrates have been pursued as platforms for tissue engineering and cell studies that recapitulate features of the native ECM, in particular its fibrous nature. In recent years, progress in the design of electrospun hydrogel systems has demonstrated that molecular design also enables unique studies of cellular behaviors. In comparison to the use of hydrophobic polymeric materials, electrospinning hydrophilic materials that crosslink to form hydrogels offer the potential to achieve the water-swollen, nanofibrous characteristics of endogenous ECM. Although electrospun hydrogels require an additional crosslinking step to stabilize the fibers (allowing fibers to swell with water instead of dissolving) in comparison to their hydrophobic counterparts, researchers have made significant advances in leveraging hydrogel chemistries to incorporate biochemical and dynamic functionalities within the fibers. Consequently, dynamic biophysical and biochemical properties can be engineered into hydrophilic nanofibers that would be difficult to engineer in hydrophobic systems without strategic and sometimes intensive post-processing techniques. This Review describes common methodologies to control biophysical and biochemical properties of both electrospun hydrophobic and hydrogel nanofibers, with an emphasis on highlighting recent progress using hydrogel nanofibers with engineered dynamic complexities to develop culture systems for the study of biological function, dysfunction, development, and regeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Gregory Grewal
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Virginia, VA 22903, USA.
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25
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Yuan W, Wang H, Fang C, Yang Y, Xia X, Yang B, Lin Y, Li G, Bian L. Microscopic local stiffening in a supramolecular hydrogel network expedites stem cell mechanosensing in 3D and bone regeneration. MATERIALS HORIZONS 2021; 8:1722-1734. [PMID: 34846502 DOI: 10.1039/d1mh00244a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Dynamic hydrogels cross-linked by weak and reversible physical interactions enhance the 3-dimensional (3D) spreading and mechanosensing abilities of encapsulated cells in a matrix. However, the highly dynamic nature of these physical cross-links also results in low mechanical stiffness in the hydrogel network and high tether compliance of the cell adhesion motifs attached to the network. The resulting low force feedback of the soft hydrogel network impedes the efficient activation of mechanotransduction signalling in the encapsulated cells. Herein, we demonstrate that the chemical incorporation of acryloyl nanoparticle-based cross-linkers creates regionally stiff network structures in the dynamic supramolecular hydrogels without compromising the dynamic properties of the cell-adaptable inter-nanoparticle hydrogel network. The obtained dynamic hydrogels with a heterogeneous hydrogel network topology expedite the development of adhesion structures, 3D spreading, and mechanosensing of the encapsulated stem cells, as evidenced by the upregulated expression of key biomarkers such as vinculin, FAK, and YAP. This enhanced spreading and mechanotransduction promotes the osteogenic differentiation of the encapsulated stem cells. In contrast, doping with physically entrapped nanoparticles or molecular cross-linkers (PEGDA) cannot locally reinforce the dynamic hydrogel network and therefore fails to facilitate cell mechanosensing or differentiation in the 3D hydrogels. We further show that the dynamic hydrogels with a locally stiffened network promote the in situ regeneration of bone defects in an animal model. Our findings provide valuable insights into the design of the supramolecular dynamic hydrogels with biomimetic hierarchical biomechanical structures as the optimized carrier material for stem cell-based therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weihao Yuan
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Sha Tin, New Territories, Hong Kong 999077, China.
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A spatial model of YAP/TAZ signaling reveals how stiffness, dimensionality, and shape contribute to emergent outcomes. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:2021571118. [PMID: 33990464 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2021571118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
YAP/TAZ is a master regulator of mechanotransduction whose functions rely on translocation from the cytoplasm to the nucleus in response to diverse physical cues. Substrate stiffness, substrate dimensionality, and cell shape are all input signals for YAP/TAZ, and through this pathway, regulate critical cellular functions and tissue homeostasis. Yet, the relative contributions of each biophysical signal and the mechanisms by which they synergistically regulate YAP/TAZ in realistic tissue microenvironments that provide multiplexed input signals remain unclear. For example, in simple two-dimensional culture, YAP/TAZ nuclear localization correlates strongly with substrate stiffness, while in three-dimensional (3D) environments, YAP/TAZ translocation can increase with stiffness, decrease with stiffness, or remain unchanged. Here, we develop a spatial model of YAP/TAZ translocation to enable quantitative analysis of the relationships between substrate stiffness, substrate dimensionality, and cell shape. Our model couples cytosolic stiffness to nuclear mechanics to replicate existing experimental trends, and extends beyond current data to predict that increasing substrate activation area through changes in culture dimensionality, while conserving cell volume, forces distinct shape changes that result in nonlinear effect on YAP/TAZ nuclear localization. Moreover, differences in substrate activation area versus total membrane area can account for counterintuitive trends in YAP/TAZ nuclear localization in 3D culture. Based on this multiscale investigation of the different system features of YAP/TAZ nuclear translocation, we predict that how a cell reads its environment is a complex information transfer function of multiple mechanical and biochemical factors. These predictions reveal a few design principles of cellular and tissue engineering for YAP/TAZ mechanotransduction.
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Jia Y, Wang Y, Niu L, Zhang H, Tian J, Gao D, Zhang X, Lu TJ, Qian J, Huang G, Xu F. The Plasticity of Nanofibrous Matrix Regulates Fibroblast Activation in Fibrosis. Adv Healthc Mater 2021; 10:e2001856. [PMID: 33511795 DOI: 10.1002/adhm.202001856] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2020] [Revised: 01/16/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Natural extracellular matrix (ECM) mostly has a fibrous structure that supports and mechanically interacts with local residing cells to guide their behaviors. The effect of ECM elasticity on cell behaviors has been extensively investigated, while less attention has been paid to the effect of matrix fiber-network plasticity at microscale, although plastic remodeling of fibrous matrix is a common phenomenon in fibrosis. Here, a significant decrease is found in plasticity of native fibrotic tissues, which is associated with an increase in matrix crosslinking. To explore the role of plasticity in fibrosis development, a set of 3D collagen nanofibrous matrix with constant modulus but tunable plasticity is constructed by adjusting the crosslinking degree. Using plasticity-controlled 3D culture models, it is demonstrated that the decrease of matrix plasticity promotes fibroblast activation and spreading. Further, a coarse-grained molecular dynamic model is developed to simulate the cell-matrix interaction at microscale. Combining with molecular experiments, it is revealed that the enhanced fibroblast activation is mediated through cytoskeletal tension and nuclear translocation of Yes-associated protein. Taken together, the results clarify the effects of crosslinking-induced plasticity changes of nanofibrous matrix on the development of fibrotic diseases and highlight plasticity as an important mechanical cue in understanding cell-matrix interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuanbo Jia
- The Key Laboratory of Biomedical Information Engineering of Ministry of Education School of Life Science and Technology Xi'an Jiaotong University Xi'an 710049 P. R. China
- Bioinspired Engineering and Biomechanics Center (BEBC) Xi'an Jiaotong University Xi'an 710049 P. R. China
| | - Yanzhong Wang
- Department of Engineering Mechanics Key Laboratory of Soft Machines and Smart Devices of Zhejiang Province Zhejiang University Hangzhou 310027 P. R. China
| | - Lele Niu
- The Key Laboratory of Biomedical Information Engineering of Ministry of Education School of Life Science and Technology Xi'an Jiaotong University Xi'an 710049 P. R. China
- Bioinspired Engineering and Biomechanics Center (BEBC) Xi'an Jiaotong University Xi'an 710049 P. R. China
| | - Hang Zhang
- The Key Laboratory of Biomedical Information Engineering of Ministry of Education School of Life Science and Technology Xi'an Jiaotong University Xi'an 710049 P. R. China
- Bioinspired Engineering and Biomechanics Center (BEBC) Xi'an Jiaotong University Xi'an 710049 P. R. China
| | - Jin Tian
- The Key Laboratory of Biomedical Information Engineering of Ministry of Education School of Life Science and Technology Xi'an Jiaotong University Xi'an 710049 P. R. China
- Bioinspired Engineering and Biomechanics Center (BEBC) Xi'an Jiaotong University Xi'an 710049 P. R. China
| | - Dengfeng Gao
- Department of Cardiology The Second Affiliated Hospital Xi'an Jiaotong University School of Medical Xi'an Shaanxi P. R. China
| | - Xiaohui Zhang
- The Key Laboratory of Biomedical Information Engineering of Ministry of Education School of Life Science and Technology Xi'an Jiaotong University Xi'an 710049 P. R. China
- Bioinspired Engineering and Biomechanics Center (BEBC) Xi'an Jiaotong University Xi'an 710049 P. R. China
| | - Tian Jian Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Mechanics and Control of Mechanical Structures Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics Nanjing 210016 P. R. China
- Nanjing Center for Multifunctional Lightweight Materials and Structures Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics Nanjing 21006 P. R. China
| | - Jin Qian
- Department of Engineering Mechanics Key Laboratory of Soft Machines and Smart Devices of Zhejiang Province Zhejiang University Hangzhou 310027 P. R. China
| | - Guoyou Huang
- Department of Engineering Mechanics School of Civil Engineering Wuhan University Wuhan 430072 P. R. China
| | - Feng Xu
- The Key Laboratory of Biomedical Information Engineering of Ministry of Education School of Life Science and Technology Xi'an Jiaotong University Xi'an 710049 P. R. China
- Bioinspired Engineering and Biomechanics Center (BEBC) Xi'an Jiaotong University Xi'an 710049 P. R. China
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Morales X, Cortés-Domínguez I, Ortiz-de-Solorzano C. Modeling the Mechanobiology of Cancer Cell Migration Using 3D Biomimetic Hydrogels. Gels 2021; 7:17. [PMID: 33673091 PMCID: PMC7930983 DOI: 10.3390/gels7010017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2020] [Revised: 01/29/2021] [Accepted: 02/09/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Understanding how cancer cells migrate, and how this migration is affected by the mechanical and chemical composition of the extracellular matrix (ECM) is critical to investigate and possibly interfere with the metastatic process, which is responsible for most cancer-related deaths. In this article we review the state of the art about the use of hydrogel-based three-dimensional (3D) scaffolds as artificial platforms to model the mechanobiology of cancer cell migration. We start by briefly reviewing the concept and composition of the extracellular matrix (ECM) and the materials commonly used to recreate the cancerous ECM. Then we summarize the most relevant knowledge about the mechanobiology of cancer cell migration that has been obtained using 3D hydrogel scaffolds, and relate those discoveries to what has been observed in the clinical management of solid tumors. Finally, we review some recent methodological developments, specifically the use of novel bioprinting techniques and microfluidics to create realistic hydrogel-based models of the cancer ECM, and some of their applications in the context of the study of cancer cell migration.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Carlos Ortiz-de-Solorzano
- IDISNA, Ciberonc and Solid Tumors and Biomarkers Program, Center for Applied Medical Research, University of Navarra, 31008 Pamplona, Spain; (X.M.); (I.C.-D.)
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29
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Moysidou CM, Barberio C, Owens RM. Advances in Engineering Human Tissue Models. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2021; 8:620962. [PMID: 33585419 PMCID: PMC7877542 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2020.620962] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2020] [Accepted: 12/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Research in cell biology greatly relies on cell-based in vitro assays and models that facilitate the investigation and understanding of specific biological events and processes under different conditions. The quality of such experimental models and particularly the level at which they represent cell behavior in the native tissue, is of critical importance for our understanding of cell interactions within tissues and organs. Conventionally, in vitro models are based on experimental manipulation of mammalian cells, grown as monolayers on flat, two-dimensional (2D) substrates. Despite the amazing progress and discoveries achieved with flat biology models, our ability to translate biological insights has been limited, since the 2D environment does not reflect the physiological behavior of cells in real tissues. Advances in 3D cell biology and engineering have led to the development of a new generation of cell culture formats that can better recapitulate the in vivo microenvironment, allowing us to examine cells and their interactions in a more biomimetic context. Modern biomedical research has at its disposal novel technological approaches that promote development of more sophisticated and robust tissue engineering in vitro models, including scaffold- or hydrogel-based formats, organotypic cultures, and organs-on-chips. Even though such systems are necessarily simplified to capture a particular range of physiology, their ability to model specific processes of human biology is greatly valued for their potential to close the gap between conventional animal studies and human (patho-) physiology. Here, we review recent advances in 3D biomimetic cultures, focusing on the technological bricks available to develop more physiologically relevant in vitro models of human tissues. By highlighting applications and examples of several physiological and disease models, we identify the limitations and challenges which the field needs to address in order to more effectively incorporate synthetic biomimetic culture platforms into biomedical research.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Róisín Meabh Owens
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
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30
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Dwivedi N, Das S, Bellare J, Majumder A. Viscoelastic substrate decouples cellular traction force from other related phenotypes. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2021; 543:38-44. [PMID: 33508771 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2021.01.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2021] [Accepted: 01/11/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Survival and maintenance of normal physiological functions depends on continuous interaction of cells with its microenvironment. Cells sense the mechanical properties of underlying substrate by applying force and modulate their behaviour in response to the resistance offered by the substrate. Most of the studies addressing cell-substrate mechanical interactions have been carried out using elastic substrates. Since tissues within our body are viscoelastic in nature, here we explore the effect of substrate's viscoelasticity on various properties of mesenchymal stem cells. Here, we used two sets of polyacrylamide substrates having similar storage modulus (G' = 1.1-1.6 kPa) but different loss modulus (G" = 45 Pa and 300 Pa). We report that human mesenchymal stem cells spread more but apply less force on the viscoelastic substrate (substrate with higher loss modulus). We further investigated the effect of substrate viscoelasticity on the expression of other contractility-associated proteins such as focal adhesion (FA) proteins (Vinculin, Paxillin, Talin), cytoskeletal proteins (actin, mysion, intermediate filaments, and microtubules) and mechano-sensor protein Yes-Associated Protein (YAP). Our results show that substrate viscoelasticity decouples cellular traction from other known traction related phenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nehal Dwivedi
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IITB), Mumbai, 400076, India
| | - Siddhartha Das
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IITB), Mumbai, 400076, India
| | - Jayesh Bellare
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IITB), Mumbai, 400076, India
| | - Abhijit Majumder
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IITB), Mumbai, 400076, India.
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31
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Buwa N, Kannan N, Kanade S, Balasubramanian N. Adhesion-dependent Caveolin-1 Tyrosine-14 phosphorylation is regulated by FAK in response to changing matrix stiffness. FEBS Lett 2021; 595:532-547. [PMID: 33314143 DOI: 10.1002/1873-3468.14025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2020] [Revised: 11/18/2020] [Accepted: 11/29/2020] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Integrin-mediated adhesion regulates cellular responses to changes in the mechanical and biochemical properties of the extracellular matrix. Cell-matrix adhesion regulates caveolar endocytosis, dependent on caveolin 1 (Cav1) Tyr14 phosphorylation (pY14Cav1), to control anchorage-dependent signaling. We find that cell-matrix adhesion regulates pY14Cav1 levels in mouse fibroblasts. Biochemical fractionation reveals endogenous pY14Cav1 to be present in caveolae and focal adhesions (FA). Adhesion does not affect caveolar pY14Cav1, supporting its regulation at FA, in which PF-228-mediated inhibition of focal adhesion kinase (FAK) disrupts. Cell adhesion on 2D polyacrylamide matrices of increasing stiffness stimulates Cav1 phosphorylation, which is comparable to the phosphorylation of FAK. Inhibition of FAK across varying stiffnesses shows it regulates pY14Cav1 more prominently at higher stiffness. Taken together, these studies reveal the presence of FAK-pY14Cav1 crosstalk at FA, which is regulated by cell-matrix adhesion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natasha Buwa
- Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Pune, India
| | | | - Shaunak Kanade
- Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Pune, India
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32
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Missirlis D, Haraszti T, Heckmann L, Spatz JP. Substrate Resistance to Traction Forces Controls Fibroblast Polarization. Biophys J 2020; 119:2558-2572. [PMID: 33217384 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2020.10.043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2020] [Revised: 10/21/2020] [Accepted: 10/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The mechanics of fibronectin-rich extracellular matrix regulate cell physiology in a number of diseases, prompting efforts to elucidate cell mechanosensing mechanisms at the molecular and cellular scale. Here, the use of fibronectin-functionalized silicone elastomers that exhibit considerable frequency dependence in viscoelastic properties unveiled the presence of two cellular processes that respond discreetly to substrate mechanical properties. Weakly cross-linked elastomers supported efficient focal adhesion maturation and fibroblast spreading because of an apparent stiff surface layer. However, they did not enable cytoskeletal and fibroblast polarization; elastomers with high cross-linking and low deformability were required for polarization. Our results suggest as an underlying reason for this behavior the inability of soft elastomer substrates to resist traction forces rather than a lack of sufficient traction force generation. Accordingly, mild inhibition of actomyosin contractility rescued fibroblast polarization even on the softer elastomers. Our findings demonstrate differential dependence of substrate physical properties on distinct mechanosensitive processes and provide a premise to reconcile previously proposed local and global models of cell mechanosensing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dimitris Missirlis
- Max-Planck-Institute for Medical Research, Department of Cellular Biophysics, Heidelberg, Germany.
| | - Tamás Haraszti
- DWI-Leibniz Institute for Interactive Materials, Aachen, Germany; RWTH Aachen University, Institute for Technical and Macromolecular Chemistry, Aachen, Germany
| | - Lara Heckmann
- Max-Planck-Institute for Medical Research, Department of Cellular Biophysics, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Joachim P Spatz
- Max-Planck-Institute for Medical Research, Department of Cellular Biophysics, Heidelberg, Germany; Heidelberg University, Department of Biophysical Chemistry, Physical Chemistry Institute, Heidelberg, Germany
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Steering cell behavior through mechanobiology in 3D: A regenerative medicine perspective. Biomaterials 2020; 268:120572. [PMID: 33285439 DOI: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2020.120572] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2020] [Revised: 09/04/2020] [Accepted: 11/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Mechanobiology, translating mechanical signals into biological ones, greatly affects cellular behavior. Steering cellular behavior for cell-based regenerative medicine approaches requires a thorough understanding of the orchestrating molecular mechanisms, among which mechanotransducive ones are being more and more elucidated. Because of their wide use and highly mechanotransduction dependent differentiation, this review focuses on mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs), while also briefly relating the discussed results to other cell types. While the mechanotransduction pathways are relatively well-studied in 2D, much remains unknown of the role and regulation of these pathways in 3D. Ultimately, cells need to be cultured in a 3D environment to create functional de novo tissue. In this review, we explore the literature on the roles of different material properties on cellular behavior and mechanobiology in 2D and 3D. For example, while stiffness plays a dominant role in 2D MSCs differentiation, it seems to be of subordinate importance in 3D MSCs differentiation, where matrix remodeling seems to be key. Also, the role and regulation of some of the main mechanotransduction players are discussed, focusing on MSCs. We have only just begun to fundamentally understand MSCs and other stem cells behavior in 3D and more fundamental research is required to advance biomaterials able to replicate the stem cell niche and control cell activity. This better understanding will contribute to smarter tissue engineering scaffold design and the advancement of regenerative medicine.
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Clainche TL, Linklater D, Wong S, Le P, Juodkazis S, Guével XL, Coll JL, Ivanova EP, Martel-Frachet V. Mechano-Bactericidal Titanium Surfaces for Bone Tissue Engineering. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2020; 12:48272-48283. [PMID: 33054152 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.0c11502] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
Despite advances in the development of bone substitutes and strict aseptic procedures, the majority of failures in bone grafting surgery are related to nosocomial infections. Development of biomaterials combining both osteogenic and antibiotic activity is, therefore, a crucial public health issue. Herein, two types of intrinsically bactericidal titanium supports were fabricated by using commercially scalable techniques: plasma etching or hydrothermal treatment, which display two separate mechanisms of mechano-bactericidal action. Hydrothermal etching produces a randomly nanostructured surface with sharp nanosheet protrusions killing bacteria via cutting of the cell membrane, whereas plasma etching of titanium produces a microscale two-tier hierarchical topography that both reduce bacterial attachment and rupture those bacteria that encounter the surface. The adhesion, growth, and proliferation of human adipose-derived stem cells (hASCs) on the two mechano-bactericidal topographies were assessed. Both types of supports allowed the growth and proliferation of the hASCs in the same manner and cells retained their stemness and osteogenic potential. Furthermore, these supports induced osteogenic differentiation of hASCs without the need of differentiation factors, demonstrating their osteoinductive properties. This study proves that these innovative mechano-bactericidal titanium surfaces with both regenerative and bactericidal properties are a promising solution to improve the success rate of reconstructive surgery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tristan Le Clainche
- Cancer Target and Experimental Therapeutics, Institute for Advanced Biosciences, INSERM U1209, UMR CNRS 5309, Grenoble Alpes University, Site Santé, Allée des Alpes, 38700 La Tronche, France
| | - Denver Linklater
- School of Science, RMIT University, Melbourne, VIC 3000, Australia
| | - Sherman Wong
- School of Science, RMIT University, Melbourne, VIC 3000, Australia
| | - Phuc Le
- School of Science, RMIT University, Melbourne, VIC 3000, Australia
| | - Saulius Juodkazis
- Optical Sciences Centre and ARC Training Centre in Surface Engineering for Advanced Materials (SEAM), School of Science, Swinburne University of Technology, Hawthorn, VIC 3122, Australia
| | - Xavier Le Guével
- Cancer Target and Experimental Therapeutics, Institute for Advanced Biosciences, INSERM U1209, UMR CNRS 5309, Grenoble Alpes University, Site Santé, Allée des Alpes, 38700 La Tronche, France
| | - Jean-Luc Coll
- Cancer Target and Experimental Therapeutics, Institute for Advanced Biosciences, INSERM U1209, UMR CNRS 5309, Grenoble Alpes University, Site Santé, Allée des Alpes, 38700 La Tronche, France
| | - Elena P Ivanova
- School of Science, RMIT University, Melbourne, VIC 3000, Australia
| | - Véronique Martel-Frachet
- Cancer Target and Experimental Therapeutics, Institute for Advanced Biosciences, INSERM U1209, UMR CNRS 5309, Grenoble Alpes University, Site Santé, Allée des Alpes, 38700 La Tronche, France
- EPHE, PSL Research University, 75014 Paris, France
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35
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Zhang W, Huang G, Xu F. Engineering Biomaterials and Approaches for Mechanical Stretching of Cells in Three Dimensions. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2020; 8:589590. [PMID: 33154967 PMCID: PMC7591716 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2020.589590] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2020] [Accepted: 09/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Mechanical stretch is widely experienced by cells of different tissues in the human body and plays critical roles in regulating their behaviors. Numerous studies have been devoted to investigating the responses of cells to mechanical stretch, providing us with fruitful findings. However, these findings have been mostly observed from two-dimensional studies and increasing evidence suggests that cells in three dimensions may behave more closely to their in vivo behaviors. While significant efforts and progresses have been made in the engineering of biomaterials and approaches for mechanical stretching of cells in three dimensions, much work remains to be done. Here, we briefly review the state-of-the-art researches in this area, with focus on discussing biomaterial considerations and stretching approaches. We envision that with the development of advanced biomaterials, actuators and microengineering technologies, more versatile and predictive three-dimensional cell stretching models would be available soon for extensive applications in such fields as mechanobiology, tissue engineering, and drug screening.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weiwei Zhang
- Faculty of Materials Science and Chemistry, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Guoyou Huang
- Key Laboratory of Biorheological Science and Technology (Chongqing University), Ministry of Education, Chongqing University, Chongqing, China
- Department of Engineering Mechanics, School of Civil Engineering, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Feng Xu
- Bioinspired Engineering and Biomechanics Center, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, China
- The Key Laboratory of Biomedical Information Engineering of Ministry of Education, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, China
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Moreira-Soares M, Cunha SP, Bordin JR, Travasso RDM. Adhesion modulates cell morphology and migration within dense fibrous networks. JOURNAL OF PHYSICS. CONDENSED MATTER : AN INSTITUTE OF PHYSICS JOURNAL 2020; 32:314001. [PMID: 32378515 DOI: 10.1088/1361-648x/ab7c17] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2019] [Accepted: 03/03/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
One of the most fundamental abilities required for the sustainability of complex life forms is active cell migration, since it is essential in diverse processes from morphogenesis to leukocyte chemotaxis in immune response. The movement of a cell is the result of intricate mechanisms, that involve the coordination between mechanical forces, biochemical regulatory pathways and environmental cues. In particular, epithelial cancer cells have to employ mechanical strategies in order to migrate through the tissue's basement membrane and infiltrate the bloodstream during the invasion stage of metastasis. In this work we explore how mechanical interactions such as spatial restriction and adhesion affect migration of a self-propelled droplet in dense fibrous media. We have performed a systematic analysis using a phase-field model and we propose a novel approach to simulate cell migration with dissipative particle dynamics modelling. With this purpose we have measured in our simulation the cell's velocity and quantified its morphology as a function of the fibre density and of its adhesiveness to the matrix fibres. Furthermore, we have compared our results to a previousin vitromigration assay of fibrosarcoma cells in fibrous matrices. The results show good agreement between the two methodologies and experiments in the literature, which indicates that these minimalist descriptions are able to capture the main features of the system. Our results indicate that adhesiveness is critical for cell migration, by modulating cell morphology in crowded environments and by enhancing cell velocity. In addition, our analysis suggests that matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) play an important role as adhesiveness modulators. We propose that new assays should be carried out to address the role of adhesion and the effect of different MMPs in cell migration under confined conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Susana P Cunha
- CQC, Department of Chemistry, University of Coimbra, Rua Larga, 3004-535 Coimbra, Portugal
| | - José Rafael Bordin
- Department of Physics, Institute of Physics and Mathematics, Federal University of Pelotas, Rua dos Ipês, Capão do Leão, RS, 96050-500, Brazil
| | - Rui D M Travasso
- CFisUC, Department of Physics, University of Coimbra, Rua Larga, 3004-516 Coimbra, Portugal
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Steeves AJ, Ho W, Munisso MC, Lomboni DJ, Larrañaga E, Omelon S, Martínez E, Spinello D, Variola F. The Implication of Spatial Statistics in Human Mesenchymal Stem Cell Response to Nanotubular Architectures. Int J Nanomedicine 2020; 15:2151-2169. [PMID: 32280212 PMCID: PMC7125340 DOI: 10.2147/ijn.s238280] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2019] [Accepted: 02/16/2020] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION In recent years there has been ample interest in nanoscale modifications of synthetic biomaterials to understand fundamental aspects of cell-surface interactions towards improved biological outcomes. In this study, we aimed at closing in on the effects of nanotubular TiO2 surfaces with variable nanotopography on the response on human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs). Although the influence of TiO2 nanotubes on the cellular response, and in particular on hMSC activity, has already been addressed in the past, previous studies overlooked critical morphological, structural and physical aspects that go beyond the simple nanotube diameter, such as spatial statistics. METHODS To bridge this gap, we implemented an extensive characterization of nanotubular surfaces generated by anodization of titanium with a focus on spatial structural variables including eccentricity, nearest neighbour distance (NND) and Voronoi entropy, and associated them to the hMSC response. In addition, we assessed the biological potential of a two-tiered honeycomb nanoarchitecture, which allowed the detection of combinatory effects that this hierarchical structure has on stem cells with respect to conventional nanotubular designs. We have combined experimental techniques, ranging from Scanning Electron (SEM) and Atomic Force (AFM) microscopy to Raman spectroscopy, with computational simulations to characterize and model nanotubular surfaces. We evaluated the cell response at 6 hrs, 1 and 2 days by fluorescence microscopy, as well as bone mineral deposition by Raman spectroscopy, demonstrating substrate-induced differential biological cueing at both the short- and long-term. RESULTS Our work demonstrates that the nanotube diameter is not sufficient to comprehensively characterize nanotubular surfaces and equally important parameters, such as eccentricity and wall thickness, ought to be included since they all contribute to the overall spatial disorder which, in turn, dictates the overall bioactive potential. We have also demonstrated that nanotubular surfaces affect the quality of bone mineral deposited by differentiated stem cells. Lastly, we closed in on the integrated effects exerted by the superimposition of two dissimilar nanotubular arrays in the honeycomb architecture. DISCUSSION This work delineates a novel approach for the characterization of TiO2 nanotubes which supports the incorporation of critical spatial structural aspects that have been overlooked in previous research. This is a crucial aspect to interpret cellular behaviour on nanotubular substrates. Consequently, we anticipate that this strategy will contribute to the unification of studies focused on the use of such powerful nanostructured surfaces not only for biomedical applications but also in other technology fields, such as catalysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander J Steeves
- Faculty of Engineering, Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- Ottawa-Carleton Institute for Biomedical Engineering, Ottawa, Canada
| | - William Ho
- Faculty of Engineering, Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- Ottawa-Carleton Institute for Biomedical Engineering, Ottawa, Canada
| | - Maria Chiara Munisso
- Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Kansai Medical University, Moriguchi, Japan
| | - David J Lomboni
- Faculty of Engineering, Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- Ottawa-Carleton Institute for Biomedical Engineering, Ottawa, Canada
| | - Enara Larrañaga
- Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Sidney Omelon
- Faculty of Engineering, Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- Faculty of Engineering, Department of Mining and Materials Engineering, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Elena Martínez
- Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST), Barcelona, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red (CIBER), Madrid, Spain
- Department of Electronics and Biomedical Engineering, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Davide Spinello
- Faculty of Engineering, Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Fabio Variola
- Faculty of Engineering, Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- Ottawa-Carleton Institute for Biomedical Engineering, Ottawa, Canada
- Faculty of Medicine, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO), Ottawa, ON, Canada
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Abdul N, Rush MN, Nohava J, Amezcua U, Shreve AP, Cavallo F. Single-Cell Response to the Rigidity of Semiconductor Nanomembranes on Compliant Substrates. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2020; 12:10697-10705. [PMID: 32027483 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.0c00426] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Single-crystalline semiconductor nanomembranes (NMs) bonded to compliant substrates are increasingly used for biomedical research and in health care. Nevertheless, there is a limited understanding of how individual cells sense the unique mechanical properties of these substrates and adjust their behavior in response to them. In this work, we performed proliferation assays, cytoskeleton analysis, and focal adhesion (FA) studies for NIH-3T3 fibroblasts on 220 and 20 nm single-crystalline Si on polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) substrates with an elastic modulus of ∼31 kPa. We also characterized cell response on bulk Si as a reference. Our in vitro studies show that varying the thickness of the NM between 20 and 220 nm affects the proliferation rate of the cells, their cytoskeleton, fiber organization, spread area, and degree of FA. For example, cultured cells on 220 nm Si/PMDS exhibit the same response as on bulk Si, that is, they are well-spread with a pentagonal (or dendritic) shape and show a good organization of stress fibers and FAs. On the other hand, the cells on 20 nm Si/PDMS are spherical, with fiber organization and FAs in undetectable levels. We explained the results of our in vitro studies through a shear-lag mechanical model. The calculated FA-substrate contact stiffnesses for fibroblasts on bulk Si and 220 nm Si/PDMS closely match, and they are significantly higher than the stiffness of the integrin clutches and the plaque. Conversely, focal contacts with 20 nm Si/PDMS have comparable lateral compliance to adhesion-mediating intracellular organisms. In conclusion, our work relies on recent advances in NM technology to fill a critical knowledge gap about how individual cells sense and react to the mechanical properties of NM-based substrates. Our findings will have a major impact on the design of flexible electronic materials for applications in biomedical science and health care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nadeem Abdul
- Center for High Technology Materials, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131, United States
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131, United States
| | - Matthew N Rush
- Center for Biomedical Engineering and Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131, United States
| | - Jiri Nohava
- Anton Paar TriTec SA, Vernets 6, 2035 Corcelles, Switzerland
| | - Ursula Amezcua
- Center for High Technology Materials, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131, United States
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131, United States
| | - Andrew P Shreve
- Center for Biomedical Engineering and Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131, United States
| | - Francesca Cavallo
- Center for High Technology Materials, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131, United States
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131, United States
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MacKay L, Khadra A. The bioenergetics of integrin-based adhesion, from single molecule dynamics to stability of macromolecular complexes. Comput Struct Biotechnol J 2020; 18:393-416. [PMID: 32128069 PMCID: PMC7044673 DOI: 10.1016/j.csbj.2020.02.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2019] [Revised: 02/03/2020] [Accepted: 02/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The forces actively generated by motile cells must be transmitted to their environment in a spatiotemporally regulated manner, in order to produce directional cellular motion. This task is accomplished through integrin-based adhesions, large macromolecular complexes that link the actin-cytoskelton inside the cell to its external environment. Despite their relatively large size, adhesions exhibit rapid dynamics, switching between assembly and disassembly in response to chemical and mechanical cues exerted by cytoplasmic biochemical signals, and intracellular/extracellular forces, respectively. While in material science, force typically disrupts adhesive contact, in this biological system, force has a more nuanced effect, capable of causing assembly or disassembly. This initially puzzled experimentalists and theorists alike, but investigation into the mechanisms regulating adhesion dynamics have progressively elucidated the origin of these phenomena. This review provides an overview of recent studies focused on the theoretical understanding of adhesion assembly and disassembly as well as the experimental studies that motivated them. We first concentrate on the kinetics of integrin receptors, which exhibit a complex response to force, and then investigate how this response manifests itself in macromolecular adhesion complexes. We then turn our attention to studies of adhesion plaque dynamics that link integrins to the actin-cytoskeleton, and explain how force can influence the assembly/disassembly of these macromolecular structure. Subsequently, we analyze the effect of force on integrins populations across lengthscales larger than single adhesions. Finally, we cover some theoretical studies that have considered both integrins and the adhesion plaque and discuss some potential future avenues of research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laurent MacKay
- Department of Physiology, McGill University, 3655 Promenade Sir William Osler, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Anmar Khadra
- Department of Physiology, McGill University, 3655 Promenade Sir William Osler, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
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40
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Mandal K, Gong Z, Rylander A, Shenoy VB, Janmey PA. Opposite responses of normal hepatocytes and hepatocellular carcinoma cells to substrate viscoelasticity. Biomater Sci 2020; 8:1316-1328. [PMID: 31903466 DOI: 10.1039/c9bm01339c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
The cellular microenvironment plays a critical role in cell differentiation, proliferation, migration, and homeostasis. Recent studies have shown the importance of substrate viscosity in determining cellular function. Here, we study the mechanoresponse of normal hepatocytes and hepatocellular carcinoma cells (HCC) to elastic and viscoelastic substrates using the Huh7 cell line derived from a human liver tumor and primary human hepatocytes (PHH). Unlike PHH and fibroblasts, which respond to viscoelastic substrates by reducing spreading area and actin bundle assembly compared to purely elastic substrates of the same stiffness, Huh7 cells spread faster on viscoelastic substrates than on purely elastic substrates. The steady state spreading areas of Huh7 cells are larger on viscoelastic substrates, whereas the opposite effect occurs with PHH cells. The viscoelasticity of the microenvironment also promotes motility and multiple long protrusions in Huh7 cells. Pharmacologic disruption of the actin assembly makes cells unable to spread on either elastic or viscoelastic substrates. In contrast, upon vimentin perturbation, cells still spread to a limited degree on elastic substrates but are unable to spread on viscoelastic substrates. The time evolution of cell traction force shows that the peak occurs at an earlier time point on viscoelastic substrates compared to elastic substrates. However, the total force generation at steady state is the same on both substrates after 4 hours. Our data suggest that stress relaxation time scales of the viscoelastic substrate regulate cell dynamics and traction force generation, indicating different binding-unbinding rates of the proteins that form cell attachment sites in HCC cells and normal hepatocytes. These results suggest that liver cancer cells may have different characteristic lifetimes of binding to the substrate in comparision to normal cells, which might cause differences in cell spreading and motility within the diseased tissue.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kalpana Mandal
- Institute for Medicine and Engineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia 19104, USA.
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Yang L, Gao Q, Ge L, Zhou Q, Warszawik EM, Bron R, Lai KWC, van Rijn P. Topography induced stiffness alteration of stem cells influences osteogenic differentiation. Biomater Sci 2020; 8:2638-2652. [DOI: 10.1039/d0bm00264j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Topography-driven alterations to single cell stiffness rather than alterations in cell morphology, is the underlying driver for influencing cell biological processes, particularly stem cell differentiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liangliang Yang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering-FB40
- University of Groningen
- University Medical Center Groningen
- 9713 AV Groningen
- The Netherlands
| | - Qi Gao
- Department of Biomedical Engineering
- City University of Hong Kong
- Hong Kong
| | - Lu Ge
- Department of Biomedical Engineering-FB40
- University of Groningen
- University Medical Center Groningen
- 9713 AV Groningen
- The Netherlands
| | - Qihui Zhou
- Institute for Translational Medicine
- Department of Stomatology
- The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University
- Qingdao University
- Qingdao 266003
| | - Eliza M. Warszawik
- Department of Biomedical Engineering-FB40
- University of Groningen
- University Medical Center Groningen
- 9713 AV Groningen
- The Netherlands
| | - Reinier Bron
- Department of Biomedical Engineering-FB40
- University of Groningen
- University Medical Center Groningen
- 9713 AV Groningen
- The Netherlands
| | - King Wai Chiu Lai
- Department of Biomedical Engineering
- City University of Hong Kong
- Hong Kong
| | - Patrick van Rijn
- Department of Biomedical Engineering-FB40
- University of Groningen
- University Medical Center Groningen
- 9713 AV Groningen
- The Netherlands
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42
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Viscoelasticity in natural tissues and engineered scaffolds for tissue reconstruction. Acta Biomater 2019; 97:74-92. [PMID: 31400521 DOI: 10.1016/j.actbio.2019.08.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2019] [Revised: 07/23/2019] [Accepted: 08/06/2019] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Viscoelasticity of living tissues plays a critical role in tissue homeostasis and regeneration, and its implication in disease development and progression is being recognized recently. In this review, we first explored the state of knowledge regarding the potential application of tissue viscoelasticity in disease diagnosis. In order to better characterize viscoelasticity with local resolution and non-invasiveness, emerging characterization methods have been developed with the potential to be supplemented to existing facilities. To understand cellular responses to matrix viscoelastic behaviors in vitro, hydrogels made of natural polymers have been developed and the relationships between their molecular structure and viscoelastic behaviors, are elucidated. Moreover, how cells perceive the viscoelastic microenvironment and cellular responses including cell attachment, spreading, proliferation, differentiation and matrix production, have been discussed. Finally, some future perspective on an integrated mechanobiological comprehension of the viscoelastic behaviors involved in tissue homeostasis, cellular responses and biomaterial design are highlighted. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: Tissue- or organ-scale viscoelastic behavior is critical for homeostasis, and the molecular basis and cellular responses of viscoelastic materials at micro- or nano-scale are being recognized recently. We summarized the potential applications of viscoelasticity in disease diagnosis enabled by emerging non-invasive characterization technologies, and discussed the underlying mechanism of viscoelasticity of hydrogels and current understandings of cell regulatory functions of them. With a growing understanding of the molecular basis of hydrogel viscoelasticity and recognition of its regulatory functions on cell behaviors, it is important to bring the clinical insights on how these characterization technologies and engineered materials may contribute to disease diagnosis and treatment. This review explains the basics in characterizing viscoelasticity with our hope to bridge the gap between basic research and clinical applications.
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43
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MacKay L, Khadra A. Dynamics of Mechanosensitive Nascent Adhesion Formation. Biophys J 2019; 117:1057-1073. [PMID: 31493858 PMCID: PMC6818182 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2019.08.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2019] [Revised: 07/31/2019] [Accepted: 08/02/2019] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Cellular migration is a tightly regulated process that involves actin cytoskeleton, adaptor proteins, and integrin receptors. Forces are transmitted extracellularly through protein complexes of these molecules, called adhesions. Adhesions anchor the cell to its substrate, allowing it to migrate. In Chinese hamster ovary cells, three classes of adhesion can be identified: nascent adhesions (NAs), focal complexes, and focal adhesions, ranked here ascendingly based on size and stability. To understand the dynamics and mechanosensitive properties of NAs, a biophysical model of these NAs as colocalized clusters of integrins and adaptor proteins is developed. The model is then analyzed to characterize the dependence of NA area on biophysical parameters that regulate the number of integrins and adaptor proteins within NAs through a mechanosensitive coaggregation mechanism. Our results reveal that NA formation is triggered beyond a threshold of adaptor protein, integrin, or extracellular ligand densities, with these three factors listed in descending order of their relative influence on NA area. Further analysis of the model also reveals that an increase in coaggregation or reductions in integrin mobility inside the adhesion potentiate NA formation. By extending the model to consider the mechanosensitivity of the integrin bond, we identify mechanical stress, rather than mechanical load, as a permissive mechanical parameter that allows for noise-dependent and independent NA assembly, despite both parameters producing a bistable switch possessing a hysteresis. Stochastic simulations of the model confirm these results computationally. This study thus provides insight into the mechanical conditions defining NA dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laurent MacKay
- Department of Physiology, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Anmar Khadra
- Department of Physiology, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
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Asaro RJ, Lin K, Zhu Q. Mechanosensitivity Occurs along the Adhesome's Force Train and Affects Traction Stress. Biophys J 2019; 117:1599-1614. [PMID: 31604520 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2019.08.039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2019] [Revised: 07/29/2019] [Accepted: 08/28/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Herein, we consider the process of force development along the adhesome within cell focal adhesions. Our model adhesome consists of the actin cytoskeleton-vinculin-talin-integrin-ligand-extracellular matrix-substrate force train. We specifically consider the effects of substrate stiffness on the force levels expected along the train and on the traction stresses they create at the substrate. We find that significant effects of substrate stiffness are manifest within each constitutive component of the force train and on the density and distribution of integrin/ligand anchorage points with the substrate. By following each component of the force train, we are able to delineate specific gaps in the quantitative descriptions of bond survival that must be addressed so that improved quantitative forecasts become possible. Our analysis provides, however, a rational description for the various levels of traction stresses that have been reported and of the effect of substrate stiffness. Our approach has the advantage of being quite clear as to how each constituent contributes to the net development of force and traction stress. We demonstrate that to provide truly quantitative forecasts for traction stress, a far more detailed description of integrin/ligand density and distribution is required. Although integrin density is already a well-recognized important feature of adhesion, our analysis places a finer point on it in the manner of how we evaluate the magnitude of traction stress. We provide mechanistic insight into how understanding of this vital element of the adhesion process may proceed by addressing mechanistic causes of integrin clustering that may lead to patterning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert J Asaro
- Structural Engineering, Department of Structural Engineering, University of California San Diego, San Diego, California.
| | - Kuanpo Lin
- Structural Engineering, Department of Structural Engineering, University of California San Diego, San Diego, California
| | - Qiang Zhu
- Structural Engineering, Department of Structural Engineering, University of California San Diego, San Diego, California
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45
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Portone A, Sciancalepore AG, Melle G, Netti GS, Greco G, Persano L, Gesualdo L, Pisignano D. Quasi-3D morphology and modulation of focal adhesions of human adult stem cells through combinatorial concave elastomeric surfaces with varied stiffness. SOFT MATTER 2019; 15:5154-5162. [PMID: 31192342 DOI: 10.1039/c9sm00481e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
In vivo cell niches are complex architectures that provide a wide range of biochemical and mechanical stimuli to control cell behavior and fate. With the aim to provide in vitro microenvironments mimicking physiological niches, microstructured substrates have been exploited to support cell adhesion and to control cell shape as well as three dimensional morphology. At variance with previous methods, we propose a simple and rapid protein subtractive soft lithographic method to obtain microstructured polydimethylsiloxane substrates for studying stem cell adhesion and growth. The shape of adult renal stem cells and nuclei is found to depend predominantly on micropatterning of elastomeric surfaces and only weakly on the substrate mechanical properties. Differently, focal adhesions in their shape and density but not in their alignment mainly depend on the elastomer stiffness almost regardless of microscale topography. Local surface topography with concave microgeometry enhancing adhesion drives stem cells in a quasi-three dimensional configuration where stiffness might significantly steer mechanosensing as highlighted by focal adhesion properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Portone
- NEST, Istituto Nanoscienze-CNR and Scuola Normale Superiore, Piazza S. Silvestro 12, I-56127 Pisa, Italy.
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Shao X, You R, Hui TH, Fang C, Gong Z, Yan Z, Chang RCC, Shenoy VB, Lin Y. Tension- and Adhesion-Regulated Retraction of Injured Axons. Biophys J 2019; 117:193-202. [PMID: 31278003 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2019.06.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2019] [Revised: 05/27/2019] [Accepted: 06/14/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Damage-induced retraction of axons during traumatic brain injury is believed to play a key role in the disintegration of the neural network and to eventually lead to severe symptoms such as permanent memory loss and emotional disturbances. However, fundamental questions such as how axon retraction progresses and what physical factors govern this process still remain unclear. Here, we report a combined experimental and modeling study to address these questions. Specifically, a sharp atomic force microscope probe was used to transect axons and trigger their retraction in a precisely controlled manner. Interestingly, we showed that the retracting motion of a well-developed axon can be arrested by strong cell-substrate attachment. However, axon retraction was found to be retriggered if a second transection was conducted, albeit with a lower shrinking amplitude. Furthermore, disruption of the actin cytoskeleton or cell-substrate adhesion significantly altered the retracting dynamics of injured axons. Finally, a mathematical model was developed to explain the observed injury response of neural cells in which the retracting motion was assumed to be driven by the pre-tension in the axon and progress against neuron-substrate adhesion as well as the viscous resistance of the cell. Using realistic parameters, model predictions were found to be in good agreement with our observations under a variety of experimental conditions. By revealing the essential physics behind traumatic axon retraction, findings here could provide insights on the development of treatment strategies for axonal injury as well as its possible interplay with other neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xueying Shao
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China; HKU-Shenzhen Institute of Research and Innovation, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Ran You
- Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Diseases, School of Biomedical Sciences, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Tsz Hin Hui
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China; HKU-Shenzhen Institute of Research and Innovation, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Chao Fang
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China; HKU-Shenzhen Institute of Research and Innovation, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Ze Gong
- Center for Engineering Mechanobiology and Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Zishen Yan
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China; HKU-Shenzhen Institute of Research and Innovation, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Raymond Chuen Chung Chang
- Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Diseases, School of Biomedical Sciences, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Vivek B Shenoy
- Center for Engineering Mechanobiology and Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
| | - Yuan Lin
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China; HKU-Shenzhen Institute of Research and Innovation, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China.
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Irons L, Owen MR, O'Dea RD, Brook BS. Effect of Loading History on Airway Smooth Muscle Cell-Matrix Adhesions. Biophys J 2019; 114:2679-2690. [PMID: 29874617 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2018.04.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2017] [Revised: 04/05/2018] [Accepted: 04/16/2018] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Integrin-mediated adhesions between airway smooth muscle (ASM) cells and the extracellular matrix (ECM) regulate how contractile forces generated within the cell are transmitted to its external environment. Environmental cues are known to influence the formation, size, and survival of cell-matrix adhesions, but it is not yet known how they are affected by dynamic fluctuations associated with tidal breathing in the intact airway. Here, we develop two closely related theoretical models to study adhesion dynamics in response to oscillatory loading of the ECM, representing the dynamic environment of ASM cells in vivo. Using a discrete stochastic-elastic model, we simulate individual integrin binding and rupture events and observe two stable regimes in which either bond formation or bond rupture dominate, depending on the amplitude of the oscillatory loading. These regimes have either a high or low fraction of persistent adhesions, which could affect the level of strain transmission between contracted ASM cells and the airway tissue. For intermediate loading, we observe a region of bistability and hysteresis due to shared loading between existing bonds; the level of adhesion depends on the loading history. These findings are replicated in a related continuum model, which we use to investigate the effect of perturbations mimicking deep inspirations (DIs). Because of the bistability, a DI applied to the high adhesion state could either induce a permanent switch to a lower adhesion state or allow a return of the system to the high adhesion state. Transitions between states are further influenced by the frequency of oscillations, cytoskeletal or ECM stiffnesses, and binding affinities, which modify the magnitudes of the stable adhesion states as well as the region of bistability. These findings could explain (in part) the transient bronchodilatory effect of a DI observed in asthmatics compared to a more sustained effect in normal subjects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linda Irons
- Centre for Mathematical Medicine and Biology, School of Mathematical Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom.
| | - Markus R Owen
- Centre for Mathematical Medicine and Biology, School of Mathematical Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom
| | - Reuben D O'Dea
- Centre for Mathematical Medicine and Biology, School of Mathematical Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom
| | - Bindi S Brook
- Centre for Mathematical Medicine and Biology, School of Mathematical Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom
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Leiphart RJ, Chen D, Peredo AP, Loneker AE, Janmey PA. Mechanosensing at Cellular Interfaces. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2019; 35:7509-7519. [PMID: 30346180 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.8b02841] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
At the plasma membrane interface, cells use various adhesions to sense their extracellular environment. These adhesions facilitate the transmission of mechanical signals that dictate cell behavior. This review discusses the mechanisms by which these mechanical signals are transduced through cell-matrix and cell-cell adhesions and how this mechanotransduction influences cell processes. Cell-matrix adhesions require the activation of and communication between various transmembrane protein complexes such as integrins. These links at the plasma membrane affect how a cell senses and responds to its matrix environment. Cells also communicate with each other through cell-cell adhesions, which further regulate cell behavior on a single- and multicellular scale. Coordination and competition between cell-cell and cell-matrix adhesions in multicellular aggregates can, to a significant extent, be modeled by differential adhesion analyses between the different interfaces even without knowing the details of cellular signaling. In addition, cell-matrix and cell-cell adhesions are connected by an intracellular cytoskeletal network that allows for direct communication between these distinct adhesions and activation of specific signaling pathways. Other membrane-embedded protein complexes, such as growth factor receptors and ion channels, play additional roles in mechanotransduction. Overall, these mechanoactive elements show the dynamic interplay between the cell, its matrix, and neighboring cells and how these relationships affect cellular function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan J Leiphart
- Department of Bioengineering , University of Pennsylvania , 210 S 33rd St , Philadelphia , Pennsylvania 19104 , United States
- McKay Orthopedic Research Laboratory , University of Pennsylvania , Philadelphia , Pennsylvania , United States
| | - Dongning Chen
- Department of Bioengineering , University of Pennsylvania , 210 S 33rd St , Philadelphia , Pennsylvania 19104 , United States
- Center for Engineering Mechanobiology , University of Pennsylvania , Philadelphia , Pennsylvania , United States
| | - Ana P Peredo
- Department of Bioengineering , University of Pennsylvania , 210 S 33rd St , Philadelphia , Pennsylvania 19104 , United States
- McKay Orthopedic Research Laboratory , University of Pennsylvania , Philadelphia , Pennsylvania , United States
| | - Abigail E Loneker
- Department of Bioengineering , University of Pennsylvania , 210 S 33rd St , Philadelphia , Pennsylvania 19104 , United States
- Center for Engineering Mechanobiology , University of Pennsylvania , Philadelphia , Pennsylvania , United States
| | - Paul A Janmey
- Department of Bioengineering , University of Pennsylvania , 210 S 33rd St , Philadelphia , Pennsylvania 19104 , United States
- Institute for Medicine and Engineering, Department of Physiology , University of Pennsylvania , 3340 Smith Walk , Philadelphia , Pennsylvania 19104 , United States
- Center for Engineering Mechanobiology , University of Pennsylvania , Philadelphia , Pennsylvania , United States
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Chae S, Lee J, Kim G. Skeletal myotube formation enhanced through fibrillated collagen nanofibers coated on a 3D-printed polycaprolactone surface. Colloids Surf B Biointerfaces 2019; 181:408-415. [PMID: 31174076 DOI: 10.1016/j.colsurfb.2019.05.043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2019] [Revised: 04/28/2019] [Accepted: 05/18/2019] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
This work focused on considering the cellular responses of the growth and differentiation of myoblasts, C2C12, on fibrillated collagen-coated poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) surfaces. Through a fibrillation processing window using NaCl and collagen weight fractions, collagen fibril coating density can be controlled. Three different collagen-fibril densities coated on PCL strut were used to investigate the effects of the collagen fibril on the myoblast activities. After physical and cellular analyses of the scaffolds, such as surface morphology, fibronectin absorption, wettability, and mechanical properties, the rate of cell growth and the proficiency of the myoblasts to develop skeletal myotubes were evaluated. Based on the results, although the coated collagen nanofibers were randomly distributed, the fibrillated collagen layer with the appropriate density on the PCL surface promoted a greater myotube formation than that of the control, which had no fibrillated collagen. In particular, relatively higher densities of collagen fibril showed significantly greater myotube formation than those of the control (not-fibrillated collagen-coated on the PCL surface) and lower density of collagen fibril.
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Affiliation(s)
- SooJung Chae
- Department of Biomechatronic Engineering, College of Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU), Suwon, South Korea.
| | - JiUn Lee
- Department of Biomechatronic Engineering, College of Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU), Suwon, South Korea.
| | - GeunHyung Kim
- Department of Biomechatronic Engineering, College of Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU), Suwon, South Korea.
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Matellan C, Del Río Hernández AE. Engineering the cellular mechanical microenvironment - from bulk mechanics to the nanoscale. J Cell Sci 2019; 132:132/9/jcs229013. [PMID: 31040223 DOI: 10.1242/jcs.229013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
The field of mechanobiology studies how mechanical properties of the extracellular matrix (ECM), such as stiffness, and other mechanical stimuli regulate cell behaviour. Recent advancements in the field and the development of novel biomaterials and nanofabrication techniques have enabled researchers to recapitulate the mechanical properties of the microenvironment with an increasing degree of complexity on more biologically relevant dimensions and time scales. In this Review, we discuss different strategies to engineer substrates that mimic the mechanical properties of the ECM and outline how these substrates have been applied to gain further insight into the biomechanical interaction between the cell and its microenvironment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlos Matellan
- Cellular and Molecular Biomechanics Laboratory, Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Armando E Del Río Hernández
- Cellular and Molecular Biomechanics Laboratory, Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK
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