Mechanical Models of Endothelial Mechanotransmission Based on a Population of Cells

Abstract

Computational cell mechanics models are dependent on cell morphology. Most studies of cell mechanics use an idealized geometry or a cell-specific approach. These approaches do not consider the effect of morphological variation in cell populations. In this chapter we analyze shape variation within a population of endothelial cells, and the effect this variation has on stress estimates from finite-element modeling. We developed shape descriptors to quantify variation in the nucleus and overall cell shape in a population of human microvascular endothelial cells (n = 15). From these descriptors, we generate statistically representative spatial models that more accurately reflect the cell shape of the entire population. We also generate models with non-typical morphology that are less likely to be found in the cell population. Both of these model types were subject to finite-element analysis, and compared to illustrate how morphological variation effects stress estimates.