Kim Jihan, Feng Jingchen, Jones Christopher A R, Mao Xiaoming, Sander Leonard M, Levine Herbert, Sun Bo
Department of Physics, Oregon State University, 301 Weniger Hall, Corvallis, OR, 97331-6507, USA.
Center for Theoretical Biological Physics, Rice University, 6100 Main Street, Houston, TX, 77005-1892, USA.
Nat Commun. 2017 Oct 10;8(1):842. doi: 10.1038/s41467-017-01011-7.
The structure and mechanics of tissues is constantly perturbed by endogenous forces originated from cells, and at the same time regulate many important cellular functions such as migration, differentiation, and growth. Here we show that 3D collagen gels, major components of connective tissues and extracellular matrix (ECM), are significantly and irreversibly remodeled by cellular traction forces, as well as by macroscopic strains. To understand this ECM plasticity, we develop a computational model that takes into account the sliding and merging of ECM fibers. We have confirmed the model predictions with experiment. Our results suggest the profound impacts of cellular traction forces on their host ECM during development and cancer progression, and suggest indirect mechanical channels of cell-cell communications in 3D fibrous matrices.The structure and mechanics of tissues is constantly perturbed by endogenous forces originated from cells. Here the authors show that 3D collagen gels, major components of connective tissues and extracellular matrix, are significantly and irreversibly remodelled by cellular traction forces and by macroscopic strains.
组织的结构和力学性能不断受到源自细胞的内源性力的干扰，同时调节许多重要的细胞功能，如迁移、分化和生长。在这里，我们表明，作为结缔组织和细胞外基质（ECM）主要成分的三维胶原凝胶，会受到细胞牵引力以及宏观应变的显著且不可逆的重塑。为了理解这种细胞外基质的可塑性，我们开发了一个考虑细胞外基质纤维滑动和融合的计算模型。我们已通过实验证实了模型预测结果。我们的研究结果表明细胞牵引力在发育和癌症进展过程中对其所在的细胞外基质具有深远影响，并表明在三维纤维基质中存在细胞间通讯的间接机械通道。组织的结构和力学性能不断受到源自细胞的内源性力的干扰。在此，作者表明，作为结缔组织和细胞外基质主要成分的三维胶原凝胶，会受到细胞牵引力和宏观应变的显著且不可逆的重塑。
