Finite element analysis of cell subjected to compressive loading

A 3D finite element model was built to study the mechanical response of the cell to load. The model included major structural components of a cell like cytoskeletal elements, cell membrane and the presence of internal fluid pressure. The cell was considered as a pressurized, fluid filled bag where inflation of the cell membrane is resisted by the cytoskeletal elements. The behavior of the cell model with microtubules prone to buckling and stabilized by actin filaments was also studied.;A point load was applied to a microtubule in a cell model with there buckling effect taken into consideration. The microtubule started to buckle at around 54.5 pN. A parametric analysis was performed to study the effect of each structural component on overall stiffness of cell measured in terms of modulus. This study showed microtubules and internal fluid pressure were important elements in determining the overall stiffness of the cell.

Name thesis:degree_name

MS

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering

Year dc:date.available

2003

Author dc:creator

• Venkatesan, Vidhyashankar

Contributors dc:contributor

• Nilay Mukherjee.

• Mechanical engineering
• Biomedical engineering

Identifier

https://researchrepository.wvu.edu/etd/1302

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:researchrepository.wvu.edu:etd-2305