Indexed by:期刊论文

Date of Publication:2017-09-01

Journal:JOURNAL OF MECHANICS IN MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY

Included Journals:Scopus、SCIE、EI

Volume:17

Issue:6

ISSN No.:0219-5194

Key Words:Cell de-adhesion; cohesive interface model; finite element simulations; nonlinear fracture mechanics

Abstract:Cohesive-interface-based finite element simulations were conducted to investigate the critical shear stress required for cell de-adhesion from extracellular substrates. The interface ligand-receptor bonds are modeled by a cohesive interface model with initial stiffness, interface strength, and fracture energy as the governing parameters. The ratio of the cell modulus to the interface stiffness defines a length scale. If this length is much less than the contact size, the de-adhesion process can be modeled by the linear elastic fracture mechanics, while the opposite limit leads to the concurrent sliding of the cell or, equivalently, debonding of all the interface ligand-receptor pairs. Since it generates additional shear-stress concentration along the interface, cell contraction generally reduces the critical de-adhesion stress. Cell de-adhesion is more prone to take place for three-dimensional irregular cell shapes because of the much easier failure in the anti-plane Mode III shear, as well as the additional stress concentration in these geometric irregularities.