We develop a method to reconstruct, from measured displacements of an underlying elastic substrate, the spatially dependent forces that cells or tissues impart on it. Given newly available high-resolution images of substrate displacements, it is desirable to be able to reconstruct small-scale, compactly supported focal adhesions that are often localized and exist only within the footprint of a ...

Cadherin-based intercellular adhesions are important determinants of proper tissue architecture. These adhesions must be both stable and dynamic to maintain tissue integrity as cells undergo morphogenetic movements during development. The role of α-catenin in this process has been vigorously debated due to conflicting in vitro and in vivo evidence regarding its molecular mechanism of action. Re...

Epithelia form the building blocks of many tissue and organ types. Epithelial cells often form a contiguous 2-dimensional sheet that is held together by strong adhesions. The mechanical properties conferred by these adhesions allow the cells to undergo dramatic three-dimensional morphogenetic movements while maintaining cell-cell contacts during embryogenesis and post-embryonic development. The...

We evaluated the regeneration of the abdominal wall using a dual-layer collagen biomatrix, and the protective effect on the bowel of fetal abdominal wall repair in a fetal sheep model for gastroschisis. In 14 fetal lambs, the abdominal wall was opened at 79 days' gestation, creating a gastroschisis. In group 1, the gastroschisis was left uncovered. In group 2, the bowel was repositioned, and th...

ObjectiveStudy on the effect of heparin in prevention of abdominal adhesions following abdominal surgery in rat. DesignExperimental design. Animals-Twenty male rats with average weight of 248 ± 5 gr. ProceduresAnimals were randomly divided into two equal groups of 10 rats (A and B). After induction of anesthesia, a midline abdominal incision was made and intestines were manipulated with a stand...

Cell surface interaction of CD44 and MMP9 increases migration and invasion of PC3 cells. We show here that stable knockdown of MMP9 in PC3 cells switches CD44 isoform expression from CD44s to CD44v6 which is more glycosylated. These cells showed highly adhesive morphology with extensive cell spreading which is due to the formation of focal adhesions and well organized actin-stress fibers. MMP9 ...

Selective percutaneous ethanol injection therapy (PEIT) has been used to control parathyroid function in patients with secondary hyperparathyroidism (2HPT) when one or more parathyroid gland (PTG) progresses to the nodular hyperplasia stage. However, PEIT can have adverse side effects, such as nerve paralysis and adhesion, because the ethanol is destructive. Intraparathyroid injection of a vita...

In living cells, the cytoskeleton connects to the extracellular environment through focal adhesions, multimolecular structures that can sense applied force. A model is presented that for the first time explains why the focal adhesions tend to high-curvature regions at the cell periphery. It is based on experimental evidence for positive feedback between adhesion formation and assembly of actomy...

Focal adhesions are often observed at the cell's periphery. We provide an explanation for this observation using a system-level mathematical model of a cell interacting with a two-dimensional substrate. The model describes the biological cell as a hypoelastic continuum material whose behavior is coupled to a deformable, linear elastic substrate via focal adhesions that are represented by collec...