A computational framework for modeling cell-matrix interactions in soft biological tissues

Living soft tissues appear to promote the de-velopment and maintenance of a preferred mechanicalstate within a defined tolerance around a so-called set-point. This phenomenon is often referred to as mechan-ical homeostasis. In contradiction to the prominent roleof mechanical homeostasis in various (patho)physiolo-gical processes, its underlying micromechanical mecha-nisms acting on the level of individual cells and fibersremain poorly understood, especially, how these mech-anisms on the microscale lead to what we macroscop-ically call mechanical homeostasis. Here, we presenta novel finite element based computational frameworkthat is constructed bottom up, that is, it models keymechanobiological mechanisms such as actin cytoskele-ton contraction and molecular clutch behavior of in-dividual cells interacting with a reconstructed three-dimensional extracellular fiber matrix. The frameworkreproduces many experimental observations regardingmechanical homeostasis on short time scales (hours), inwhich the deposition and degradation of extracellular matrix can largely be neglected. This model can serveas a systematic tool for futurein silicostudies of theorigin of the numerous still unexplained experimentalobservations about mechanical homeostasis.     «

Living soft tissues appear to promote the de-velopment and maintenance of a preferred mechanicalstate within a defined tolerance around a so-called set-point. This phenomenon is often referred to as mechan-ical homeostasis. In contradiction to the prominent roleof mechanical homeostasis in various (patho)physiolo-gical processes, its underlying micromechanical mecha-nisms acting on the level of individual cells and fibersremain poorly understood, especially, how these mech-anisms on the microsca...     »