Modeling the mechanobioelectricity of cell clusters

We propose a continuum finite strain theory for the interplay between the bioelectricity and the poromechanics of a cell cluster. Specifically, we refer to a cluster of closely packed cells, whose mechanics is governed by a polymer network of cytoskeletal filaments joined by anchoring junctions, modeled through compressible hyperelasticity. The cluster is saturated with a solution of water and ions. We account for water and ion transport in the intercellular spaces, between cells through gap junctions, and across cell membranes through aquaporins and ion channels. Water fluxes result from the contributions due to osmosis, electro-osmosis, and water pressure, while ion fluxes encompass electro-diffusive and convective terms. We consider both the cases of permeable and impermeable cluster boundary, the latter simulating the presence of sealing tight junctions. We solve the coupled governing equations for a one-dimensional axisymmetric benchmark through finite elements, thus determining the spatiotemporal evolution of the intracellular and extracellular ion concentrations, setting the membrane potential, and water concentrations, establishing the cluster deformation. When suitably complemented with genetic, biochemical, and growth dynamics, we expect this model to become a useful instrument for investigating specific aspects of developmental mechanobioelectricity.

Constitutive equation of butter at static loading

This study focuses on the constitutive modelling of finite deformation in the commercially obtained butter (composition is 83 % of milk fat) at the temperature 17–20 °C. The specimens from the butter (height L0=14.6 mm and diameter 20 mm) have been compressed between two parallel metal plates at a fixed crosshead speed 20 mm/min using of the testing device TIRA TEST. The force F and the deformation ∆L are measured during compression and both quantities are recorded. The experimental records force F – displacement (deformation) were obtained. These records have been transformed into stress–strain dependences and into true stress–true strain. The basic data on the strain behaviour of a butter under low strain rates have been obtained. Experimental results show that the behaviour of butter can be described by a hyperelastic material model. In this model, the quasi–static response is defined by compressible hyperelasticity, whereby the strain energy potential is assumed to be representable by a newly proposed polynomial series with three independent parameters. The material parameters in the constitutive model are determined from compression test. A comparison of predictions based on the proposed constitutive equation with experiments shows that the model is able to describe the strain behaviour of the butter examined.