Alireza S. Sarvestani

Swelling characteristics of acrylic acid polyelectrolyte hydrogel in a dc electric field

A novel application of environmentally sensitive polyelectrolytes is in the fabrication of BioMEMS devices as sensors and actuators. Poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) gels are anionic polyelectrolyte networks that exhibit volume expansion in aqueous physiological environments. When an electric field is applied to PAA polyelectrolyte gels, the fixed anionic polyelectrolyte charges and the requirement of electro-neutrality in the network generate an osmotic pressure, above that in the absence of the electric field, to expand the network. The objective of this research was to investigate the effect of an externally applied dc electric field on the volume expansion of the PAA polyelectrolyte gel in a simulated physiological solution of phosphate buffer saline (PBS). For swelling studies in the electric field, two platinum-coated plates, as electrodes, were wrapped in a polyethylene sheet to protect the plates from corrosion and placed vertically in a vessel filled with PBS. The plates were placed on a rail such that the distance between the two plates could be adjusted. The PAA gel was synthesized by free radical crosslinking of acrylic acid monomer with ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EGDMA) crosslinker. Our results demonstrate that volume expansion depends on the intensity of the electric field, the PAA network density, network homogeneity, and the position of the gel in the field relative to positive/negative electrodes. Our model predictions for PAA volume expansion, based on the dilute electrolyte concentration in the gel network, is in excellent agreement with the experimental findings in the high-electric-field regime (250–300 Newton/Coulomb).

Analysis of Cell Locomotion on Ligand Gradient Substrates

Directional cell motility plays a key role in many biological processes like morphogenesis, inflammation, wound repair, angiogenesis, immune response, and tumor metastasis. Cells respond to the gradient in surface ligand density by directed locomotion towards the direction of higher ligand density. Theoretical models which address the physical basis underlying the regulatory effect of ligand gradient on cell motility are highly desirable. Predictive models not only contribute to a better understanding of biological processes, but they also provide a quantitative interconnection between cell motility and biophysical properties of the extracellular matrix (ECM) for rational design of biomaterials as scaffolds in tissue engineering. In this work, we consider a one-dimensional (1D) continuum viscoelastic model to predict the cell velocity in response to linearly increasing density of surface ligands on a substrate. The cell is considered as a 1D linear viscoelastic object with position dependent elasticity due to the variation in actin network density. The cell-substrate interaction is characterized by a frictional force, controlled by the density of ligand-receptor pairs. The generation of contractile stresses is described in terms of kinetic equations for the reactions between actins, myosins, and guanine nucleotide regulatory proteins. The model predictions show a reasonable agreement with experimentally measured cell speeds, considering biologically relevant values for the model parameters. The model predicts a biphasic relationship between cell speed and slope of gradient as well as a maximum limiting speed after a finite migration time. For a given slope of ligand gradient, the onset of the limiting speed appears at longer times for substrates with lower ligand gradients. The model can be applied to the design of biomaterials as scaffolds for guided tissue regeneration as it predicts an optimum range for the slope of ligand gradient.

The role of filler-matrix interaction on viscoelastic response of biomimetic nanocomposite hydrogels

The effect of a glutamic acid (negatively charged) peptide (Glu6), which mimics the terminal region of the osteonectin glycoprotein of bone on the shear modulus of a synthetic hydorgel/apatite nanocomposite, was investigated. One end of the synthesized peptide was functionalized with an acrylate group (Ac-Glu6) to covalently attach the peptide to the hydrogel phase of the composite matrix. The addition of Ac-Glu6 to hydroxyapatite (HA) nanoparticles (50nm in size) resulted in significant reinforcement of the shear modulus of the nanocomposite (∼100% increase in elastic shear modulus). The reinforcement effect of the Glu6 peptide, a sequence in the terminal region of osteonectin, was modulated by the size of the apatite crystals. A molecular model is also proposed to demonstrate the role of polymer-apatite interaction in improving the viscoelastic behavior of the bone mimetic composite. The predictions of the model were compared with the measured dynamic shear modulus of the PLEOF hydrogel reinforced with HA nanoparticles. This predictive model provides a quantitative framework to optimize the properties of reinforced polymer nanocomposites as scaffolds for applications in tissue regeneration.

Effect of a low-molecular-weight cross-linkable macromer on electrospinning of poly(lactide-co-glycolide) fibers

A mixture of low-molecular-weight poly(L-lactide-co-glycolide ethylene oxide fumarate) (PLGEOF) macromer and high-molecular-weight poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) was used to produce fibers by electrospinning. PLGEOF is a biodegradable and in situ cross-linkable terpolymer made from building blocks with excellent biocompatibility. PLGA provides the required elongational viscosity to the spinning jet while the unsaturated PLGEOF macromers contribute to in situ crosslinking of fibers and attachment of bioactive functional groups. Mechanical rheometry demonstrated that PLGEOF macromers cross-link in situ by ultraviolet radiation. The addition of PLGEOF macromer to PLGA solutions had a significant effect on size and morphology of the electrospun fibers. The morphology of the electrospun fibers changed from bead- to fiber-like with increasing PLGEOF concentration. As PLGEOF was added to 12 wt% PLGA solutions, the fiber diameter first decreased with 2% PLGEOF and then increased with the addition of 5% and 10% PLGEOF. Our results demonstrate that the fiber size initially is decreased with the addition of PLGEOF due to an increase in solution conductivity and then is increased with further PLGEOF addition due to higher viscosity of the polymerizing mixture.

The effect of substrate rigidity on the assembly of specific bonds at biological interfaces

We present a thermodynamic model for the coupling between a flexible membrane and a compliant bio-adhesive substrate. The local adhesion between the membrane and the substrate relies on the aggregation of transmembrane mobile receptors and their binding to the immobilized ligands on the substrate. The model predicts that the substrate hampers the energetic driving force for bond aggregation and entropic repulsion between ligand–receptor bonds becomes increasingly more dominant as the substrate rigidity decreases. On very compliant substrates, the rigidity-dependent distance between the nearest neighboring bonds may exceed the characteristic size of the crosslinking proteins (e.g., talin) connecting the cytoplasmic ends of clustered integrins. This can prevent the stabilization and reinforcement of the adhesion sites and lead to development of immature focal adhesions on very compliant substrates, as observed in experiments.

A model for cell motility on soft bio-adhesive substrates.

Mechanical stiffness of bio-adhesive substrates has been recognized as a major regulator of cell motility. We present a simple physical model to study the crawling locomotion of a contractile cell on a soft elastic substrate. The mechanism of rigidity sensing is accounted for using Schwarzs two-spring model Schwarz et al. (2006). The predicted dependency between the speed of motility and substrate stiffness is qualitatively consistent with experimental observations. The model demonstrates that the rigidity dependent motility of cells is rooted in the regulation of actomyosin contractile forces by substrate deformation at each anchorage point. On stiffer substrates, the traction forces required for cell translocation acquire larger magnitude but show weaker asymmetry which leads to slower cell motility. On very soft substrates, the model predicts a biphasic relationship between the substrate rigidity and the speed of locomotion, over a narrow stiffness range, which has been observed experimentally for some cell types.

Nonlinear Rheology of Unentangled Polymer Melts Reinforced with High Concentration of Rigid Nanoparticles

A scaling model is presented to analyze the nonlinear rheology of unentangled polymer melts filled with high concentration of small spherical particles. Assuming the majority of chains to be reversibly adsorbed to the surface of the particles, we show that the emergence of nonlinearity in the viscoelastic response of the composite system subjected to a 2D shear flow results from stretching of the adsorbed chains and increasing desorption rate of the adsorbed segments due to the imposed deformation. The steady-state shear viscosity of the mixture in nonlinear shear thinning regime follows the power lawwhereis the applied shear rate. At large strain amplitude γ 0, the storage and loss moduli in strain sweep tests scale asandrespectively.

Cell adhesion on ligand gradient substrates: A thermodynamic study

Gradient distribution of bio‐adhesive proteins can regulate multiple cellular processes, including adhesion, growth, and migration. The ability to control the cell function by changing the surface density of immobilized ligands has become increasingly important in design of implantable medical devices and tissue regenerating scaffolds. Recent techniques in fabrication of substrates with controlled surface properties allow the examination of cell sensitivity to a wide range of adhesion gradients. Understanding the mechanisms by which cells sense and respond to these directional cues warrants a quantitative assessment of macroscopic cellular response to the surface gradients, supported by predictive theoretical models. This article presents a theoretical basis to examine the effect of ligand gradients on cellular adhesion, using an equilibrium thermodynamic model. The model facilitates a systematic investigation of the complex interplay of cell–substrate specific adhesions, non‐specific repulsions, and membrane elasticity. This purely mechanistic model predicts a biphasic dependence between the extent of cell spreading and its position across the gradient substrate. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2010;105: 172–183.

Compliance of bio-adhesive substrates controls the kinetics of membrane–substrate association

Mechanical stiffness of bio-adhesive substrates is one of the major regulators of the cell adhesion and migration. In this study, we propose a theoretical model for the spontaneous growth of focal adhesion (FA) sites, on compliant elastic substrates, at the early stages of cellular adhesion. Using a purely thermodynamic approach, we demonstrate that the rate of membrane-substrate association decreases with increasing the compliance of the substrate. This can be considered as a reason for smaller spread area of the FA points after the stabilization of adhesion on compliant substrates, as reported by experiments. We also show that the extent to which the compliance of the substrate modulates the growth rate of adhesion site depends on the areal density of cell-adhesive ligands on the substrate.

Force-driven aggregation of specific bonds on compliant substrates

A thermodynamic model was employed to understand the underlying physics of the force-dependent size of cells focal adhesions. The model describes the specific adhesion of an elastic membrane to a compliant substrate such that the adhesion site is subjected to the force of a constant pulling traction. The membrane contains mobile adhesion receptors with specific energetic affinities for complimentary ligands on the substrate. The adhesion is resisted by a disjoining pressure induced by a squeezed layer of glycocalyx. The model demonstrates that the enlargement of adhesion area with increasing pulling traction is possible due to a spontaneous response of the adhesion site to attain the state of minimum free energy. The correlation between the force and the adhesion area strongly depends on the rigidity of the substrate.