title: Biomechanics of cell reorientation in a three-dimensional matrix under compression.
abstract: Although a number of studies have reported that cells cultured on a stretchable substrate align away from or perpendicular to the stretch direction, how cells sense and respond to compression in a three-dimensional (3D) matrix remains an open question. We analyzed the reorientation of human prostatic normal tissue fibroblasts (NAFs) and cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) in response to 3D compression using a Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) method. Results show that NAFs align to specific angles upon compression while CAFs exhibit a random distribution. In addition, NAFs with enhanced contractile force induced by transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) behave in a similar way as CAFs. Furthermore, a theoretical model based on the minimum energy principle has been developed to provide insights into these observations. The model prediction is in agreement with the observed cell orientation patterns in several different experimental conditions, disclosing the important role of stress fibers and inherent cell contractility in cell reorientation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville 37235, TN, USA.
authors.forename: Lijie
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences and Vanderbilt Kennedy Center for Research on Human Development, Vanderbilt University, Nashville 37235, TN, USA.
authors.forename: Léolène Jean
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Carrington
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences and Vanderbilt Kennedy Center for Research on Human Development, Vanderbilt University, Nashville 37235, TN, USA.
authors.forename: Begum
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Erdogan
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences and Vanderbilt Kennedy Center for Research on Human Development, Vanderbilt University, Nashville 37235, TN, USA.
authors.forename: Mingfang
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ao
authors.affiliation: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville 37235, TN, USA.
authors.forename: Bryson M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Brewer
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences and Vanderbilt Kennedy Center for Research on Human Development, Vanderbilt University, Nashville 37235, TN, USA. Electronic address: donna.webb@vanderbilt.edu.
authors.forename: Donna J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Webb
authors.affiliation: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville 37235, TN, USA. Electronic address: deyu.li@vanderbilt.edu.
authors.forename: Deyu
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D018929:Cell Culture Techniques; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008954:Models, Biological; D022502:Stress Fibers / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D013314:Stress, Mechanical
keywords: CAFs; Cell reorientation; Energy minimization; NAFs; Stress fiber