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Plasticity is the property where an object loses its elasticity and undergoes irreversible deformation, even after the deformation forces are eliminated. If a material deforms irreversibly without increasing stress or load, then this is called ideal plasticity. For example, when a force is applied to an aluminum rod, it changes its shape, but it does not return to its original shape once the force is removed. Plastic deformation or ductility is thus a permanent deformation or change in the...
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Measuring the Mechanical Properties of Living Cells Using Atomic Force Microscopy
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Mechanical plasticity of cells.

Navid Bonakdar1,2, Richard Gerum1, Michael Kuhn1

  • 1Department of Physics, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, 91054 Erlangen, Germany.

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Summary

Living cells exhibit power-law viscoelastic deformation under load. Incomplete shape recovery after unloading is due to plastic deformation from cytoskeletal bond ruptures, revealing a cell protection mechanism.

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Area of Science:

  • Cellular mechanics
  • Biophysics
  • Cytoskeletal dynamics

Background:

  • Cells exhibit viscoelastic deformation under mechanical stress, often following a power law.
  • Complete shape recovery after load removal is not always observed in cells.
  • Cytoskeletal integrity is crucial for cellular mechanical properties.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the cause of incomplete cell shape recovery after mechanical loading.
  • To characterize the nature of plastic deformation in cells.
  • To refine existing theories of cell viscoelasticity.

Main Methods:

  • Mechanical loading experiments on cells.
  • Analysis of cell deformation using power-law dynamics.
  • Investigating cytoskeletal bond rupture as a source of plastic deformation.
  • Extending viscoelastic power-law response theory.

Main Results:

  • Incomplete cell shape recovery is attributed to additive plastic deformation.
  • Plastic deformation follows the same power-law dynamics as viscoelastic deformation.
  • Plastic deformation constitutes a constant fraction of total cell deformation.
  • Cytoskeletal bond rupture is identified as the origin of plastic deformation.

Conclusions:

  • A modified viscoelastic model incorporating a plastic element accurately predicts cell behavior under cyclic loading.
  • Plastic energy dissipation is linked to elastic cytoskeletal stresses.
  • This suggests an adaptive mechanism protecting cells from mechanical damage.