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Collective cell polarization and alignment on curved surfaces
Chenglin Liu1, Jiayi Xu1, Shijie He1
1Biomechanics and Biomaterials Laboratory, School of Aerospace Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081, China.
Journal of the Mechanical Behavior of Biomedical Materials
|September 10, 2018
Summary
Surface curvature significantly impacts cell behavior by influencing alignment and polarization. This effect is mediated by mechanical stresses within the cell layer, offering insights into tissue development.
Area of Science:
- Biophysics
- Cell Biology
- Materials Science
Background:
- Surface curvature is a key topological feature of the 3D extracellular matrix.
- The mechanisms by which curvature influences cell behavior remain largely unknown.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how surface curvature affects cell alignment and polarization.
- To elucidate the underlying mechanisms, particularly the role of mechanical stresses.
Main Methods:
- Seeding cells on semi-cylindrical and hemispheric surfaces.
- Analyzing cell alignment and polarization patterns.
- Correlating cellular behavior with in-plane stress distribution.
Main Results:
- Surface curvature profoundly influences cell alignment and polarization.
- Increased curvature (smaller diameter) promotes alignment along axial/peripheral directions.
- Cellular behavior is position-dependent and correlates with maximum shear stress.
Conclusions:
- Cell alignment and polarization are controlled by maximum shear stress, aligning with maximum principal stress.
- Surface curvature regulates cell behavior by modulating mechanical stresses.
- Findings offer a generalized theory for stress-dependent cellular polarity, applicable to curvature and edge effects in tissue morphogenesis.
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