Research

Mechanical Analysis of Cardiomyocyte Contraction

The heart pumps blood into circulation against the mechanical load from the vascular resistance. Mechanical overload such as high blood pressure leads to heart diseases. To study the mechano-transduction mechanisms, we invented an innovative Cell-in-Gel technology to control the mechanical load on single cardiomyocytes during cell contraction in a 3-D viscoelastic hydrogel mimicking the in-situ environment. We combine experiments and modeling to quantify the 3-D mechanical strain and stress in cardiomyocytes, showing longitudinal tension, transverse compression, and surface traction (normal and shear stress) in the cell during beat-to-beat contraction.