A Chemo-Mechanical Approach to Model Cell Contraction and Spreading on Elastic Substrates

TL;DRAbstract

Biological tissues are very particular types of materials that have the ability to change their structure, properties and chemistry in response to external cues. Contractile cells, i.e. fibroblasts, are key players of tissue adaptivity as they are capable of reorganizing their surrounding extra-cellular matrix (ECM) by contracting and generating mechanical forces. This contractile behavior is attributed to the development of a stress-fiber (SF) network within the cell's cytoskeleton, a process that is known to be highly dependent of the nature of the mechanical environment (such as ECM stiffness or the presence of stress and strain). To describe these processes in a consistent manner, the present thesis introduces a multiphasic formulation (fluid/solid/solute mixture) that accounts for four major elements of cell contraction: cytoskeleton, cytosol, SF and actin monomers, as well as their interactions. The model represents the cross-talks between mechanics and chemistry through various

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