Theories of mechanically induced tissue differentiation and adaptation in the musculoskeletal system

Daniel R Suárez

doi:10.11144/javeriana.iyu20-1.tmit

Abstract

<p>It is well known that the mechanical environment affects biological tissues. The importance of theories and models that aim at explaining the role of the mechanical stimuli in process such as differentiation and adaptation of tissues is highlighted because if those theories can explain the tissue’s response to mechanical loading and to its environment, it becomes possible to predict the consequences of mechanical stimuli on growth, adaptation and ageing of tissues. This review aims to present an overview of the various theories and models on tissue differentiation and adaptation of tissues and their mathematical implementation.</p>Although current models are numerically well defined and are able to resemble the tissue differentiation and adaptation processes, they are limited by (1) the fact that some of their input parameters are likely to be site- and species-dependent, and (2) their verification is done by data that may make the model results redundant. However, some theories do have predictive power despite the limitations of generalization. It seems to be a matter of time until new experiments and models appear with predictive power and where rigorous verification can be performed.

Highlights

It is well known that the mechanical environment affects biological tissues, in which mechanical loads activate or inhibit processes involving the genesis, adaptation, and aging of tissues [1]
This review aims to present an overview of the various theories and models on tissue differentiation and adaptation, and their mathematical implementation
Forces applied to tissue might be of different type or nature: internal quasi-static forces caused by tissue growth; external forces imposed on the organism; and intermittent joint forces caused by muscle contractions [4]

Summary

Introduction

It is well known that the mechanical environment affects biological tissues, in which mechanical loads activate or inhibit processes involving the genesis, adaptation, and aging of tissues [1]. This is especially important for tissues that have a primary biomechanical function such as musculoskeletal or cardiovascular tissues; biomechanical and mechanobiological factors appear to be critical for regulating cell behavior, and tissue maintenance and transformation in virtually all other tissues of the body [2]. The study of tissue differentiation and adaptation to their mechanical environment is challenging These processes are complex, involving so many variables that physical experimentation is often either time consuming, expensive, or impossible [3]. As a result of the mechanical environment created by all those forces, time-dependent, spatially complex patterns of internal tissue stresses and strains are created in all tissues [4]

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