Wang Lucy M, Kuhl Ellen
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.
Semin Cell Dev Biol. 2023 May 15;140:13-21. doi: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2022.04.019. Epub 2022 Apr 23.
Normal axon development depends on the action of mechanical forces both generated within the cytoskeleton and outside the cell, but forces of large magnitude or rate cause damage instead. Computational models aid scientists in studying the role of mechanical forces in axon growth and damage. These studies use simulations to evaluate how different sources of force generation within the cytoskeleton interact with each other to regulate axon elongation and retraction. Furthermore, mathematical models can help optimize externally applied tension to promote axon growth without causing damage. Finally, scientists also use simulations of axon damage to investigate how forces are distributed among different components of the axon and how the tissue surrounding an axon influences its susceptibility to injury. In this review, we discuss how computational studies complement experimental studies in the areas of axon growth, regeneration, and damage.
正常的轴突发育依赖于细胞骨架内部和细胞外部产生的机械力的作用，但强度或速率过大的力反而会造成损伤。计算模型有助于科学家研究机械力在轴突生长和损伤中的作用。这些研究利用模拟来评估细胞骨架内不同力产生源之间如何相互作用以调节轴突的伸长和回缩。此外，数学模型有助于优化外部施加的张力以促进轴突生长而不造成损伤。最后，科学家还利用轴突损伤模拟来研究力如何在轴突的不同组分之间分布，以及轴突周围的组织如何影响其损伤易感性。在本综述中，我们讨论了计算研究如何在轴突生长、再生和损伤领域补充实验研究。
