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MYOFIBROBLAST MECHANICS

Banff International Research Station for Mathematical Innovation and Discovery

Tissues lose integrity upon injury. To rapidly restore mechanical stability, a variety of different cell types are activated to acquire a reparative phenotype - the myofibroblast. Hallmarks of the myofibroblast are secretion of extracellular matrix (ECM), development of adhesion structures with the ECM, and formation of actomyosin contractile stress fibers. Rapid repair comes at the cost of tissue contracture due to the inability of the myofibroblast to regenerate tissue. When contracture and ECM remodeling become progressive and manifest as organ fibrosis, stiff scar tissue obstructs and ultimately destroys organ function. Pivotal for the formation of myofibroblasts are mechanical stimuli arising during tissue repair. High stress, partly being a consequence of myofibroblast activities, amplifies scarring whereas absence of stress suppresses myofibroblast activities. I will give an overview on our current projects that address how mechanical factors control the development of myofibroblasts: (1) acutely by mechano-sensing of tissue stiffness, and (2) preservation of a long-term mechanical memory by epigentic factors. By understanding and manipulating myofibroblast mechanoperception we will be able to devise better therapies to reduce scarring and support normal wound healing.

Mathematics; Mechanics of deformable solids; Biology and other natural sciences; Mathematical biology

video/mp4

Author affiliation: University of Toronto

2017-04-13

Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International

http://hdl.handle.net/2429/61218

Unreviewed

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/