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Viscoelasticity during development: What is it? and why should you care?
Yicheng Dong1, Spandan Maiti1, Lance A Davidson2
1Department of Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA.
Seminars in Cell & Developmental Biology
|September 28, 2025
Summary
Biological tissue viscoelasticity is crucial for embryonic development. This review covers its role in morphogenesis, experimental methods, and mathematical models, highlighting knowledge gaps for future research.
Area of Science:
- * Mechanobiology
- * Developmental Biology
- * Biophysics
Background:
- * Viscoelasticity is a key property of biological tissues, influencing cellular and tissue functions.
- * It plays a critical role in morphogenesis and organogenesis during embryonic development.
- * Understanding viscoelasticity is essential for comprehending how mechanical forces shape biological systems.
Purpose of the Study:
- * To review the significance of viscoelasticity in mechanobiology, focusing on embryonic development.
- * To discuss the behavior of cells and tissues in absorbing, dissipating, and transmitting mechanical energy.
- * To identify knowledge gaps in understanding dynamic mechanical cues and viscoelastic responses.
Main Methods:
- * Summary of experimental techniques: Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM), Micropipette Aspiration (MA), and Tissue Stretchers.
- * Introduction to mathematical models: Standard Linear Solid (SLS) and fractional models.
- * Review of subcellular components contributing to viscoelasticity: cytoskeleton, extracellular matrix, and nucleus.
Main Results:
- * Viscoelasticity governs energy dynamics within cells and tissues.
- * Various experimental and mathematical tools are available to study tissue viscoelasticity.
- * Subcellular structures significantly contribute to the overall viscoelastic behavior of tissues.
Conclusions:
- * Viscoelasticity is fundamental to embryonic development and tissue morphogenesis.
- * Further research is needed to elucidate how dynamic mechanical cues influence viscoelasticity across scales.
- * A deeper understanding of these mechanisms will advance developmental biology and regenerative medicine.
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