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Cell and biomolecular mechanics in silico
Recent developments in computational cell and biomolecular mechanics have provided valuable insights into the mechanical properties of cells, subcellular components and biomolecules,while simultaneously complementing new experimental techniques used for deciphering the structurefunction paradigm in living cells. These computational approaches have direct implications in understanding the state of human health and the progress of disease and can therefore aid immensely in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases. We provide an overview of the computational approaches that are currently used in understanding various aspects of cell and bimolecular mechanics. Our emphasis is on state-of-the-art techniques and the progress made in addressing key challenges in biomechanics.
AshkAn VAziri* And ArVind GopinAth
School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, USA
Present address: Engineering Mechanics Unit, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research, Bangalore 560064, India
*e-mail: mailto:[email protected]
Web End [email protected]
Eukaryotic cells, which in view of the intricate nature of their structure are compared with the mothers work basket1, are assemblies of numerous subcellular components with vastly different geometrical, material and biochemical characteristics (Fig. 1a). Understanding how these cells migrate, differentiate, interact with each other, function and die entails resolving mechanics at various spatial and temporal scales213. The connection between mechanics and cell function has been researched in various contexts, from studies on diseases such as atherosclerosis and arthritis to tissue engineering1420.
The development of advanced technologies over the past two decades, from high-precision mechanical probes for measuring forces as small as several piconewtons8,21,22 to imaging techniques that allow
the visualization of a single protein in vivo23,24, has provided reliable
tools for monitoring the response and evolution of cells, subcellular components and biomolecules under mechanical stimuli. A key challenge in understanding the interplay between mechanics and function in vivo, then, is the development of robust frameworks to interpret the trends observed in experiments. The quest to tackle this challenge has spawned various theoretical approaches, ranging from qualitative scaling laws to detailed, predictive computational models for complementing experimental observations. These computational approaches have not only enabled us to gain an understanding of experimental trends but also, more crucially, provided new insights into the connection between cell mechanics and function, as will be described in this article.
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