Investigation of Stress Fiber and Focal Adhesion Evolution Under Applied Mechanical Loading

Abstract

Numerous in-vitro studies have established that cells possess the ability to react to their physical environment. However, the mechanisms underlying such phenomena are poorly understood. Recent experimental studies have employed arrays of microposts to measure the active contractile forces generated by cells [1]. A bio-chemo-mechanical model has been used to predict the response of smooth muscle cells on such array [2]. However, this study only considers stress fiber (SF) contractility and does not examine the role of focal adhesion (FA) formation in the contractile response of cells. Recent studies have subjected cells, which are adhered to micropost arrays, to both local and global cell deformation by moving the supporting microposts. Computational investigation of the cellular contractility must be capable of capturing the active response of SFs and FAs to externally applied loading.