Cell contraction of an elastic substrate assessed by an axisymmetric model Online publication date: Mon, 11-Aug-2014
by Martin Kroon
International Journal of Experimental and Computational Biomechanics (IJECB), Vol. 2, No. 1, 2012
Abstract: In the present paper, a computational model for cell contraction of an elastic substrate is proposed. Axisymmetry is assumed and the cell is represented by its contractile apparatus, which is taken to consist of radially oriented stress fibres. The constitutive behaviour of the contractile apparatus is modelled by use of a strain energy function, and contraction of stress fibres is modelled by giving them a different natural configuration compared with the underlying elastic substrate. The model was compared with experiments, in which fibroblasts were put on an elastic substrate. The contracted cell radius depends on the stiffness of the elastic substrate, and model predictions were compared with the experimental results for different values of the stiffness of the elastic substrate. The model also predicts that the contraction of the cell tends to cause a small crater below the cell, which is qualitatively in agreement with experimental observations.
Existing subscribers:
Go to Inderscience Online Journals to access the Full Text of this article.
If you are not a subscriber and you just want to read the full contents of this article, buy online access here.Complimentary Subscribers, Editors or Members of the Editorial Board of the International Journal of Experimental and Computational Biomechanics (IJECB):
Login with your Inderscience username and password:
Want to subscribe?
A subscription gives you complete access to all articles in the current issue, as well as to all articles in the previous three years (where applicable). See our Orders page to subscribe.
If you still need assistance, please email subs@inderscience.com
Our Blog 
Follow us on Twitter 
Visit us on Facebook