Mechanobiological oscillators control lymph flow.

ABSTRACT: The ability of cells to sense and respond to physical forces has been recognized for decades, but researchers are only beginning to appreciate the fundamental importance of mechanical signals in biology. At the larger scale, there has been increased interest in the collective organization of cells and their ability to produce complex, "emergent" behaviors. Often, these complex behaviors result in tissue-level control mechanisms that manifest as biological oscillators, such as observed in fireflies, heartbeats, and circadian rhythms. In many cases, these complex, collective behaviors are controlled--at least in part--by physical forces imposed on the tissue or created by the cells. Here, we use mathematical simulations to show that two complementary mechanobiological oscillators are suffici

SUBMITTER: Kunert C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4568261 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature