The cell as a material

Karen E. Kasza; Amy C. Rowat; Jiayu Liu; Thomas E. Angelini; Clifford P. Brangwynne; Gijsje H. Koenderink; David A. Weitz

doi:10.1016/j.ceb.2006.12.002

The cell as a material

Karen E. Kasza, Amy C. Rowat, Jiayu Liu, Thomas E. Angelini, Clifford P. Brangwynne, Gijsje H. Koenderink, David A. Weitz

Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article › peer-review

372 Scopus citations

Abstract

To elucidate the dynamic and functional role of a cell within the tissue it belongs to, it is essential to understand its material properties. The cell is a viscoelastic material with highly unusual properties. Measurements of the mechanical behavior of cells are beginning to probe the contribution of constituent components to cell mechanics. Reconstituted cytoskeletal protein networks have been shown to mimic many aspects of the mechanical properties of cells, providing new insight into the origin of cellular behavior. These networks are highly nonlinear, with an elastic modulus that depends sensitively on applied stress. Theories can account for some of the measured properties, but a complete model remains elusive.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	101-107
Number of pages	7
Journal	Current Opinion in Cell Biology
Volume	19
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ceb.2006.12.002
State	Published - Feb 2007
Externally published	Yes

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

Cell Biology

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10.1016/j.ceb.2006.12.002

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title = "The cell as a material",

abstract = "To elucidate the dynamic and functional role of a cell within the tissue it belongs to, it is essential to understand its material properties. The cell is a viscoelastic material with highly unusual properties. Measurements of the mechanical behavior of cells are beginning to probe the contribution of constituent components to cell mechanics. Reconstituted cytoskeletal protein networks have been shown to mimic many aspects of the mechanical properties of cells, providing new insight into the origin of cellular behavior. These networks are highly nonlinear, with an elastic modulus that depends sensitively on applied stress. Theories can account for some of the measured properties, but a complete model remains elusive.",

author = "Kasza, {Karen E.} and Rowat, {Amy C.} and Jiayu Liu and Angelini, {Thomas E.} and Brangwynne, {Clifford P.} and Koenderink, {Gijsje H.} and Weitz, {David A.}",

note = "Funding Information: The authors were supported by NSF (DMR-0602684) and the Integrated Training Program in Biomechanics (DGE-0221682) (CPB), NDSEG (KEK), European Marie Curie Fellowship (FP6-2002-Mobility-6B, Contract No. 8526) (GHK), and the Human Frontiers Science Program (ACR, DAW). We thank Dr. J.H. Hartwig for providing the electron microscopy image of the actin network. ",

year = "2007",

month = feb,

doi = "10.1016/j.ceb.2006.12.002",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "19",

pages = "101--107",

journal = "Current Opinion in Cell Biology",

issn = "0955-0674",

publisher = "Elsevier Ltd",

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T1 - The cell as a material

AU - Kasza, Karen E.

AU - Rowat, Amy C.

AU - Liu, Jiayu

AU - Angelini, Thomas E.

AU - Brangwynne, Clifford P.

AU - Koenderink, Gijsje H.

AU - Weitz, David A.

N1 - Funding Information: The authors were supported by NSF (DMR-0602684) and the Integrated Training Program in Biomechanics (DGE-0221682) (CPB), NDSEG (KEK), European Marie Curie Fellowship (FP6-2002-Mobility-6B, Contract No. 8526) (GHK), and the Human Frontiers Science Program (ACR, DAW). We thank Dr. J.H. Hartwig for providing the electron microscopy image of the actin network.

PY - 2007/2

Y1 - 2007/2

N2 - To elucidate the dynamic and functional role of a cell within the tissue it belongs to, it is essential to understand its material properties. The cell is a viscoelastic material with highly unusual properties. Measurements of the mechanical behavior of cells are beginning to probe the contribution of constituent components to cell mechanics. Reconstituted cytoskeletal protein networks have been shown to mimic many aspects of the mechanical properties of cells, providing new insight into the origin of cellular behavior. These networks are highly nonlinear, with an elastic modulus that depends sensitively on applied stress. Theories can account for some of the measured properties, but a complete model remains elusive.

AB - To elucidate the dynamic and functional role of a cell within the tissue it belongs to, it is essential to understand its material properties. The cell is a viscoelastic material with highly unusual properties. Measurements of the mechanical behavior of cells are beginning to probe the contribution of constituent components to cell mechanics. Reconstituted cytoskeletal protein networks have been shown to mimic many aspects of the mechanical properties of cells, providing new insight into the origin of cellular behavior. These networks are highly nonlinear, with an elastic modulus that depends sensitively on applied stress. Theories can account for some of the measured properties, but a complete model remains elusive.

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DO - 10.1016/j.ceb.2006.12.002

M3 - Review article

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SP - 101

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JO - Current Opinion in Cell Biology

JF - Current Opinion in Cell Biology

IS - 1

ER -

The cell as a material

Abstract

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

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