The mechanics of mechanotransduction : analyses of cell perturbation

Cells sense mechanical stimuli and respond by changing their phenotype, e.g. shape, gene expression, motility. This process, termed mechanotransduction, was investigated using computational and theoretical approaches, as well as comparisons with experiments. As a first step, a three-dimensional viscoelastic finite element model was developed to simulate cell micromanipulation by magnetocytometry. The model provided a robust tool for analysis of detailed strain/stress fields induced within a single cell or cell monolayer produced by forcing one tethered microbead. On the assumption of structural homogeneity, stress and strain patterns were highly localized, suggesting that the effects of magnetocytometry are confined to a region extending less than 10tm from the bead. Modification of the model to represent experimental focal adhesion attachments supported a non-uniform force transmission to basal surface focal adhesion sites. Proteins in identified zones of high stresses in the cell are candidate mechanosensors and their molecular response to force was hence investigated, A generic model of protein extension under external forcing was created inspired by Kramers theory for reaction rate kinetics in liquids.

Department dc:contributor.department

Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Biological Engineering Division.

Grantor dc:publisher

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Year dc:date.issued

2006

Author dc:creator

• Karcher, Hélène

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Roger D. Kamm and Mohammad R. Kaazempur Mofrad.

• Biological Engineering Division.

Statement dc:rights

• MIT theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed, downloaded, or printed from this source but further reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission.

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/38239
• http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Identifier URI

http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/38239

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:dspace.mit.edu:1721.1/38239