Advances in Experiments and Modeling in Micro- and Nano-Biomechanics: A Mini Review

Abstract

Abstract-Recent advances in micro-and nano-technologies and high-end computing have enabled the development of new experimental and modeling approaches to study biomechanics at the micro-and nano-scales that were previously not possible. These new cutting-edge approaches are contributing toward our understanding in emerging areas such as mechanobiology and mechanochemistry. Another important potential contribution lies in translational medicine, since biomechanical studies at the cellular and molecular levels have direct relevance in areas such disease diagnosis, nano-medicine and drug delivery. Thus, the developed experimental and modeling approaches are critical in elucidating important mechanistic insights in both basic sciences and clinical treatment. While it is hard to cover all the recent advances in this mini-review, we focus on several important approaches. For experimental techniques, we review the assays involving shear flow, cellular imaging, microbead, microcontact printing, and micropillars at the micro-scale, and micropipette aspiration, optical tweezers, parallel flow chamber, and atomic force microscopy at the nano-scale. In modeling and simulations, we outline the theoretical modeling for actin dynamics in migrating cell and actin-based cell motility in cellular mechanics, as well as the receptor-ligand binding in cell adhesion and the application of free, steered, and flow molecular dynamics simulations in molecular biomechanics. Relevant scientific issues and applications are also discussed.

The Fluid Mechanics of Cancer and Its Therapy

“…The parallel-flowchamber technique has been used to study cell dynamics under various shear-flow conditions (Long et al 2011). Similar to leukocyte adhesion, flow-enhanced CTC adhesion includes several aspects (Zhu et al 2008): Flow augments the initial tethering of flowing cells to a stationary surface, and adhesion is initiated by glycoprotein-selectin interactions, which facilitate cell rolling on the endothelium (Geng et al 2012), followed by firm adhesion and eventual extravasation.…”

Computer prediction of paratope on antithrombotic antibody 10B12 and epitope on platelet glycoprotein VI via molecular dynamics simulation

“…And, other newly predicted ten residues, four (ARG 38 , SER 44 , ARG 46 , and TYR 47 ) on GPVI and six (GLU 1 , ASP 98 , GLU 102 , ASP 107 , ASP 108 and ASP 111 ) on 10B12, might be important for binding. The reason for this success lies in that MD simulations can mimic the atom fluctuations and conformational changes of biomolecules in liquid or physiological environment [32, 33]. …”

Roles of Mechanical Force and Mechanotransduction in Fate of Stem Cells

“…研究表明, 流体剪 切力能够调控细胞的功能. 目前认为流体流动主要 分为 2 种形式: 层流的流动(laminar)和湍流的流动 (turbulent) [17] . 近年研究表明, 流体剪切力是影响组 织代谢, 尤其是影响骨组织代谢和调节骨细胞的功 能和形态的一个重要因素.…”