A Langevin model of physical forces in cell volume fluctuations

Steven M Zehnder; Federico M Zegers; Thomas E Angelini

doi:10.1016/j.jbiomech.2015.12.051

A Langevin model of physical forces in cell volume fluctuations

J Biomech. 2016 May 24;49(8):1286-1289. doi: 10.1016/j.jbiomech.2015.12.051. Epub 2016 Jan 9.

Authors

Steven M Zehnder¹, Federico M Zegers², Thomas E Angelini³

Affiliations

¹ Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of Florida, Gainesville, USA.
² Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of Florida, Gainesville, USA; Department of Mathematics, University of Florida, Gainesville, USA.
³ Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of Florida, Gainesville, USA; J. Crayton Pruitt Family Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Florida, Gainesville, USA; Institute of Cell and Regenerative Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, USA. Electronic address: t.e.angelini@ufl.edu.

PMID: 26787009
DOI: 10.1016/j.jbiomech.2015.12.051

Abstract

Cells interact mechanically with their physical surroundings by attaching to the extracellular matrix or other cells and contracting the cytoskeleton. Cells do so dynamically, exhibiting fluctuating contractile motion in time. In monolayers, these dynamic contractions manifest as volume fluctuations, which involve the transport of fluid in and out of the cell. An integrated understanding of cell elasticity, actively generated stresses, and fluid transport has not yet been developed. Here we apply a minimal model of these forces to cell volume fluctuation data, elucidating the dynamic behavior of cells within monolayers.

Keywords: Cell; Cell mechanics; Cytoskeleton; Langevin model; Traction force microscopy; Volume.

MeSH terms

Animals
Cell Size*
Cytoskeleton / physiology
Dogs
Elasticity
Madin Darby Canine Kidney Cells
Models, Biological*