Brain tissue mechanics is governed by microscale relations of the tissue constituents

Sáez P, Borau C, Antonovaite N, Franze K (2023)

Publication Type: Journal article

Publication year: 2023

Journal

Biomaterials Elsevier

Book Volume: 301

Article Number: 122273

DOI: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2023.122273

Abstract

Local mechanical tissue properties are a critical regulator of cell function in the central nervous system (CNS) during development and disorder. However, we still don't fully understand how the mechanical properties of individual tissue constituents, such as cell nuclei or myelin, determine tissue mechanics. Here we developed a model predicting local tissue mechanics, which induces non-affine deformations of the tissue components. Using the mouse hippocampus and cerebellum as model systems, we show that considering individual tissue components alone, as identified by immunohistochemistry, is not sufficient to reproduce the local mechanical properties of CNS tissue. Our results suggest that brain tissue shows a universal response to applied forces that depends not only on the amount and stiffness of the individual tissue constituents but also on the way how they assemble. Our model may unify current incongruences between the mechanics of soft biological tissues and the underlying constituents and facilitate the design of better biomedical materials and engineered tissues. To this end, we provide a freely-available platform to predict local tissue elasticity upon providing immunohistochemistry images and stiffness values for the constituents of the tissue.

Authors with CRIS profile

Kristian Franze Lehrstuhl für Medizinische Physik und Mikrogewebetechnik

Additional Organisation(s)

Sonderforschungsbereich 1540: Erforschung der Mechanik des Gehirns (EBM): Verständnis, Engineering und Nutzung mechanischer Eigenschaften und Signale in der Entwicklung, Physiologie und Pathologie des zentralen Nervensystems

Involved external institutions

Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (VU) / University Amsterdam NL Netherlands (NL) Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya · BarcelonaTech (UPC) ES Spain (ES) Universidad de Zaragoza ES Spain (ES)

How to cite

APA:

Sáez, P., Borau, C., Antonovaite, N., & Franze, K. (2023). Brain tissue mechanics is governed by microscale relations of the tissue constituents. Biomaterials, 301. https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.biomaterials.2023.122273

MLA:

Sáez, P., et al. "Brain tissue mechanics is governed by microscale relations of the tissue constituents." Biomaterials 301 (2023).

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