Non-equilibrium and Non-linear Signatures in Cells and Gels Biomimetic Systems

Rommel G. Bacabac^1*

¹Medical Biophysics Group, Department of Physics, University of San Carlos, Cebu City, Philippines

* Presenter:Rommel G. Bacabac, email:rbacabac@usc.edu.ph

The natural micro-environment of living cells provides a complex biophysical structure that influence behaviors relevant to the organism’s overall health. An increasing amount of observations based on ex vivo systems continue to contribute insights on how cells mechanically interact with their extracellular matrix through the cytoskeletal machinery. These observations contribute towards understanding the progression of certain diseases and in designing artificial tissue scaffolds. We studied the behavior of fibroblasts and osteosarcoma cells in fibrin, a transient and highly extensible matrix, to find new ways of investigating the onset of cancer spreading. Also, the rheology of biocompatible polysaccharide-based gels was studied to find how bulk properties may originate from microstructural adaptations. Initial findings provide avenues for quantifying metastatic capacity and deriving parameters for critical non-linear rheological events and noise-driven characteristic adaptations. Here, relevant insights can be drawn appropriately given specific temporal and spatial depths. Thus, we continue to develop and adapt new experimental and analytical tools in probing both bulk and local mechanics using rheometry, videomicroscopy, and particle trapping with controlled precision.

Keywords: Microrheology, Mechanosensing, Hydrogel