TY - GEN
T1 - A mechanostimulation system for revealing intercellular calcium communication in HUVEC networks
AU - Junkin, Michael
AU - Lu, Yi
AU - Long, Juexuan
AU - Deymier, Pierre A.
AU - Hoying, James B.
AU - Wong, Pak Kin
PY - 2012
Y1 - 2012
N2 - This paper reports a mechanostimulation system for studying mechanically induced intercellular calcium signaling in networks of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). By incorporating a capacitive (comb drive) force probe and plasma lithography cell patterning, the roles of biophysical factors, including force, duration, and network architecture, in calcium intercellular communication can be investigated systematically. Particularly, we observed cancellation of calcium waves in linear networks and bi-directional splitting in cross junctions. The effects of key biophysical factors on intercellular calcium wave propagation were studied. These results demonstrate the applicability of the mechanostimulation system in studying intercellular calcium signaling and reveal the robustness of calcium signaling in HUVEC networks, which mimics the vasculature.
AB - This paper reports a mechanostimulation system for studying mechanically induced intercellular calcium signaling in networks of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). By incorporating a capacitive (comb drive) force probe and plasma lithography cell patterning, the roles of biophysical factors, including force, duration, and network architecture, in calcium intercellular communication can be investigated systematically. Particularly, we observed cancellation of calcium waves in linear networks and bi-directional splitting in cross junctions. The effects of key biophysical factors on intercellular calcium wave propagation were studied. These results demonstrate the applicability of the mechanostimulation system in studying intercellular calcium signaling and reveal the robustness of calcium signaling in HUVEC networks, which mimics the vasculature.
KW - Calcium signaling
KW - Endothelial networks
KW - HUVEC
KW - Intercellular Communications
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84880246945&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84880246945&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1109/NANOMED.2012.6509116
DO - 10.1109/NANOMED.2012.6509116
M3 - Conference contribution
AN - SCOPUS:84880246945
SN - 9781467351027
T3 - IEEE International Conference on Nano/Molecular Medicine and Engineering, NANOMED
SP - 92
EP - 95
BT - NANOMED 2012 - 6th IEEE International Conference on Nano/Molecular Medicine and Engineering
T2 - 6th IEEE International Conference on Nano/Molecular Medicine and Engineering, NANOMED 2012
Y2 - 4 November 2012 through 7 November 2012
ER -