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A Lab-On-A-Chip Platform for Stimulating Osteocyte Mechanotransduction and Analyzing Functional Outcomes of Bone Remodeling
Published on: May 21, 2020
Adaptation of cellular mechanical behavior to mechanical loading for osteoblastic cells
Michael J Jaasma1, Wesley M Jackson, Raymond Y Tang
1Orthopaedic Biomechanics Laboratory, Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720-1740, USA.
Journal of Biomechanics
|November 14, 2006
Summary
Osteoblastic cells adapt to mechanical stress by increasing their stiffness, a change mediated by cytoskeletal rearrangements. This cellular adaptation to mechanical loading is sustained even after the stress is removed.
Area of Science:
- Biophysics
- Cell Biology
- Mechanobiology
Background:
- Cells exhibit transient biochemical responses to mechanical stimuli, suggesting adaptive capabilities.
- Mechanical loading can induce cellular deformation, triggering these biochemical responses.
- Understanding cellular adaptation to mechanical environments is crucial for tissue homeostasis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the adaptation of whole-cell mechanical behavior (deformability) in osteoblastic cells under mechanical loading.
- To determine if osteoblastic cells alter their stiffness in response to flow-induced shear stress.
- To examine the persistence of mechanical changes and associated cytoskeletal rearrangements after load removal.
Main Methods:
- Osteoblastic cell cultures were subjected to controlled levels of flow-induced shear stress (1 or 2 Pa) for a defined period (2 h).
- Whole-cell mechanical properties, specifically stiffness, were measured using atomic force microscopy on individual cells.
- Changes in actin cytoskeleton organization were assessed following mechanical stimulation.
Main Results:
- Cells exposed to 1 Pa and 2 Pa shear stress demonstrated significantly increased whole-cell stiffness (1.36-fold and 1.70-fold, respectively) compared to static controls.
- A higher shear stress magnitude (2 Pa vs. 1 Pa) resulted in a further significant increase in cell stiffness (1.25-fold).
- Increased cell stiffness and actin cytoskeleton rearrangement persisted for at least 70-90 minutes after the cessation of mechanical loading.
Conclusions:
- Osteoblastic cells adapt their mechanical properties, specifically increasing stiffness, in response to mechanical loading.
- Cytoskeletal modifications, particularly actin rearrangement, underlie this observed cellular mechanical adaptation.
- This adaptation mechanism may play a significant role in regulating cellular mechanosensitivity and influencing tissue structure and function.
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