Nonlinear Elasticity of the ECM Fibers Facilitates Efficient Intercellular Communication.

ABSTRACT: Biological cells embedded in fibrous matrices have been observed to form intercellular bands of dense and aligned fibers through which they mechanically interact over long distances. Such matrix-mediated cellular interactions have been shown to regulate various biological processes. This study aimed to explore the effects of elastic nonlinearity of the fibers contained in the extracellular matrix (ECM) on the transmission of mechanical loads between contracting cells. Based on our biological experiments, we developed a finite-element model of two contracting cells embedded within a fibrous network. The individual fibers were modeled as showing linear elasticity, compression microbuckling, tension stiffening, or both of the latter two. Fiber compression buckling resulted in smaller loads in

SUBMITTER: Sopher RS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6170818 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature