![]() ![]() Moreover, mechanical stimuli, through mechanotransduction, cause ECs to exhibit a change in their phenotypical, morphological, and mechanical properties 4, 15, 25, 32. Such mechanical stimuli elicit various cellular responses, including changes in gene expression and protein alterations that determine cellular activity 10. ![]() EC monolayers, located at the interface between circulating blood in the lumen and the vessel wall are constantly subjected to shear stresses caused by blood flow 16. Endothelial dysfunction is recognized as an early event in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular disease 8. Vascular endothelial cells (ECs) line the circulatory system and have unique functions within vascular biology. PPFC platforms allow for exposure of ECs to laminar fluid flow conditions, recapitulating cellular biomechanical behaviors, whereas CP platforms allow for mechanical characterization of ECs under secondary flow. Limitations using CP devices to provide laminar flow across an EC monolayer suggest they are better suited when studying EC response for disturbed flow conditions. Monolayers subjected to laminar fluid flow in a PPFC respond by increasing cortical stiffness, elongating, and aligning filamentous actin in the direction of fluid flow to a greater extent than CP devices. Computational Fluid Dynamic simulation and validation testing using EC responses as a metric have indicated limitations in the use of CPs to apply laminar shear stress. This paper presents a comparison of the efficacies of both methods. Since ECs in sealed PPFCs are inaccessible to AFM probes, cone-and-plate viscometers (CPs) are commonly used to apply shear stress. Parallel Plate Flow Chambers (PPFCs) apply unidirectional laminar fluid flow to EC monolayers in vitro. ![]() ECs respond to these stresses via mechanotransduction by modulating their phenotype and biomechanical characteristics, which can be characterized by Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM). ![]() Shear stresses induced by laminar fluid flow are essential to properly recapitulate the physiological microenvironment experienced by endothelial cells (ECs). ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |