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Mechanical and failure properties of single attached cells under compression
E A G Peeters1, C W J Oomens, C V C Bouten
1Department of Biomedical Engineering, Eindhoven University of Technology, Den Dolech 2, P.O. Box 513, 5600 MB Eindhoven, The Netherlands. e.a.g.peeters@tue.nl
Journal of Biomechanics
|June 17, 2005
Summary
Mechanical forces deform eukaryotic cells, influencing biological processes. Researchers measured the mechanical and failure properties of attached C2C12 mouse myoblasts, finding a mean bursting force of 8.7 microN at 72% strain.
Area of Science:
- Cellular mechanics
- Biophysics
- Biomaterials
Background:
- Eukaryotic cells experience mechanical forces in physiological conditions.
- Cellular deformation is influenced by mechanical properties and anchorage dependence.
- Understanding attached cell mechanics is crucial for cell function.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the mechanical and failure properties of attached C2C12 mouse myoblasts.
- To investigate cell rupture under unconfined compression.
- To correlate force-deformation curves with cellular behavior.
Main Methods:
- Unconfined compression experiments on individual, attached C2C12 mouse myoblasts.
- Utilized a novel loading device for global cell compression and force measurement.
- Confocal microscopy for visualizing cell membrane rupture dynamics.
- Finite element analysis with a Neo-Hookean model for simulating force-deformation data.
Main Results:
- Mean bursting force of 8.7 ± 2.5 microN at an axial strain of 72 ± 4%.
- Cell bursting initiated with membrane bulges, leading to rupture.
- Finite element calculations accurately predicted experimental force-deformation curves.
- Average Young's modulus determined to be 1.14 ± 0.32 kPa.
Conclusions:
- The study successfully quantified mechanical and failure properties of attached C2C12 myoblasts.
- Cell rupture mechanism involves membrane deformation and subsequent failure.
- Finite element modeling provides a reliable method for analyzing cell mechanics.