Issue 26, 2014

Stress fiber response to mechanics: a free energy dependent statistical model

Abstract

An experimental observation has been puzzling scientists for years: cells tend to align perpendicular to cyclic uniaxial strain, but parallel to external static strain. Recent experimental results demonstrate that both the magnitude of the external strain and the cell contractility manipulate the cells' orientation under cyclic uniaxial strain. In light of these reports, we introduce a minimum free energy model to explain the different orientation tendencies of cells subjected to external strain, and elucidate the significant role of cell contractility in this issue. With the present model, we successfully explain a series of well-documented phenomena: (1) cells orient nearly parallel to static uniaxial strain; (2) cell alignment depends on the magnitude of the cyclic uniaxial strain; (3) under cyclic uniaxial stretch, a tensioned contractility results in a strengthened perpendicular alignment of the cells, whereas a contractility relaxation results in a nearly parallel alignment. In addition, this model also successfully describes the functional relationship between cell contractility and substrate stiffness.

Graphical abstract: Stress fiber response to mechanics: a free energy dependent statistical model

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
19 Nov 2013
Accepted
27 Mar 2014
First published
01 Apr 2014

Soft Matter, 2014,10, 4603-4608

Stress fiber response to mechanics: a free energy dependent statistical model

L. Jiang, C. Yang, L. Zhao and Q. Zheng, Soft Matter, 2014, 10, 4603 DOI: 10.1039/C3SM52914B

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