Mechanical Perturbation
Mechanical Perturbation - Related Videos
09:20
Perturbing Endothelial Biomechanics via Connexin 43 Structural Disruption
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Cited by 6 •
2019
Here, we present a mechanics-based protocol to disrupt the gap junction connexin 43 and measure the subsequent impact this has on endothelial biomechanics via observation of tractions and intercellular stresses.
10:37
Perturbations of Circulating miRNAs in Irritable Bowel Syndrome Detected Using a Multiplexed High-throughput Gene Expression Platform
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Cited by 6 •
2016
We describe the use of a multiplexed high-throughput gene expression platform that quantitates gene expression by barcoding and counting molecules in biological substrates without the need for amplification. We used the platform to quantitate microRNA (miRNA) expression in whole blood in subjects with and without irritable bowel syndrome.
07:07
Optogenetic Perturbation of Neural Activity with Laser Illumination in Semi-intact Drosophila Larvae in Motion
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Cited by 13 •
2013
Here we describe a protocol for optogenetic manipulation of motoneuronal activity while monitoring changes in motor output (muscle contraction) in semi-intact Drosophila larvae using lasers within a conventional confocal microscope. This technique enables researchers to achieve local perturbation of neural activity in a few neuromeres to elucidate the dynamics of motor circuits.
07:49
Application of Consistent Massage-Like Perturbations on Mouse Calves and Monitoring the Resulting Intramuscular Pressure Changes
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Cited by 5 •
2019
Here we describe the protocols for applying defined mechanical loads to mouse calves and for monitoring the concomitant intramuscular pressure changes. The experimental systems that we have developed can be useful for investigating the mechanism behind the beneficial effects of physical exercise and massage.
13:10
Evaluation of Respiratory System Mechanics in Mice using the Forced Oscillation Technique
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Cited by 130 •
2013
The present protocol provides a detailed step-by-step description of the procedures required to execute measurements of respiratory system mechanics as well as the assessment of airway responsiveness to inhaled methacholine in mice using the forced oscillation technique (flexiVent; SCIREQ Inc, Montreal, Qc, Canada).
FAQs
Changes in stretch, compression, shear, substrate stiffness, or tissue geometry can activate mechanosensitive proteins and downstream signaling pathways. These signals alter cell shape, adhesion, migration, proliferation, and differentiation. Examining which behaviors change after a controlled force adjustment helps researchers connect a physical input with cellular responses that support tissue formation.
Substrate stiffness and tissue geometry change the physical environment experienced by cells, even when other developmental signals remain similar. Cells can respond by changing their shape, adhesion, migration, proliferation, or differentiation. These variables therefore help reveal how material properties and spatial organization contribute to morphogenesis rather than treating development as controlled only by biochemical cues.
Stretch, compression, and shear impose different physical conditions on cells and tissues, while altered geometry changes how forces are distributed through a developing structure. Because these inputs can engage mechanosensitive proteins and signaling pathways in different ways, they may produce distinct effects on cell behavior. Comparing perturbation types helps identify which mechanical cues guide a particular morphogenetic process.
A controlled perturbation tests whether changing a physical condition produces a corresponding change in tissue organization. Researchers can then relate altered cell shape, adhesion, migration, proliferation, or differentiation to larger changes in morphogenesis. This approach is especially useful for determining how local cellular responses become coordinated tissue-level movements and patterns during embryo or organ formation.
A study begins by selecting a developing embryo or organ-forming tissue and specifying the physical variable to change, such as stretch, compression, shear, stiffness, or geometry. Researchers then apply that change in a controlled way and examine cellular and tissue responses. Comparing perturbed and unperturbed conditions helps associate the altered mechanical environment with developmental outcomes.
Researchers apply this approach when they want to test how physical cues influence developmental organization, rather than merely observe correlations. Embryos and organ-forming tissues provide contexts in which forces can affect coordinated morphogenesis. The resulting observations can clarify how mechanical environments regulate cell behavior and how disrupted forces may contribute to developmental defects.
By showing how physical conditions influence cell behavior and tissue organization, mechanical perturbation can guide the design of laboratory strategies for engineering tissues. Findings about stretch, compression, shear, stiffness, or geometry may help identify environments that support desired morphogenesis, differentiation, or organization. This connects developmental mechanisms with efforts to reproduce tissue-forming processes outside the organism.