Models of Living Cells on the Basis of Tensegrity Structures.

conference paper

English

Applications of tensegrity principle for modelling of cytoskeleton of living cells is described in another related paper by the same authors. Here an overview of computational models of mechanical behaviour of whole cells is presented, from the simplest continuous ones up to hybrid models, and their advantages and drawbacks are analysed. In hybrid models, discrete tensegrity models of cytoskeleton are combined with continuum models of cytoplasm, nucleus and cell membrane to create prestressed finite element models of eukaryotic cells. Results obtained at various levels of complexity of the tensegrity structure are presented and compared. These models are capable to simulate different mechanical tests with isolated cells; they should be capable to simulate the transmission of mechanical stimuli from the extracellular medium (exoskeleton) onto the controlling organelles inside the cell (nucleus and/or centrosome) and in this way to contribute to understanding of mechanotransduction process in these cells.

Cell mechanics, computational models, continuum approach, mechanical models

BURŠA, J.; BANSOD, Y.

2014

15. 7. 2014

6th World Conference on Structural Control and Monitoring (6WCSCM).

Barcelona, Spain.

978-84-942844-5-8

6th World Conference on Structural Contral and Monitoring.

140

146

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