Abstract
We present an active mechanosensing theory based on an extension of the classical Hill′s model for skeletal muscle behavior where cells actively generate contractile forces and use this information to sense mechanical environment through interaction with material. In this sense, we consider that the cytoskeleton (CSK) of cells is mechanically prestressed. This prestress is generated by molecular motors that generate forces transmitted by the actin network and through adhesion plaques to the material that counterbalances these forces. This model has been numerically implemented to investigate possible mechanosensing mechanisms of how cells interact with materials, such as, durotaxis, tensotaxis and contact guidance. All these effects should be considered for controlling the behaviour of multiple cells working together and interacting with the material in an orchestrated way with a structural mission as the regeneration of a tissue, fundamental aspect in the design of scaffolds for tissue engineering.
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Acknowledgements
This work has been supported by the Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación of Spain (DPI2009-14115-C03-01) and the Instituto de Salud Carlos III (CIBER initiative).
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García-Aznar, J.M., Sanz-Herrera, J.A., Moreo, P. (2010). Cell–Material Communication: Mechanosensing Modelling for Design in Tissue Engineering. In: Gefen, A. (eds) Cellular and Biomolecular Mechanics and Mechanobiology. Studies in Mechanobiology, Tissue Engineering and Biomaterials, vol 4. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/8415_2010_13
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/8415_2010_13
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