Biological cells and coupled electro-mechanical effects: The role of organelles, microtubules, and nonlocal contributions

摘要: Biological cells are exposed to a variety of mechanical loads throughout their life cycles that eventually play an important role in wide range cellular processes. The understanding cell mechanics under the application external stimuli is for capturing nuances physiological and pathological events. Such critical knowledge will increasingly vital modern medical therapies such as tissue engineering regenerative medicine, well development new remedial treatments. At present, it known biological molecules exhibit piezoelectric properties great interest applications ranging from sensing surgery. In current study, coupled electro-mechanical model has been developed better understand complex behaviour subjected flexoelectric constituent organelles forces. Importantly, more accurate modelling paradigm presented capture nonlocal effect addition linear based on finite element method. Major considered computational nucleus, mitochondria, microtubules, membrane cytoplasm. effects variations applied forces intrinsic contributions electro-elastic response have systematically investigated along with accounting variation coupling coefficients. addition, degradation cytoskeleton also quantified. present studies suggest flexoelectricity could be dominant phenomenon, exhibiting electric fields four orders magnitude higher than those generated by alone. Further, output significantly dependent We found results enhancement both piezo responses associated coupling. general, our study provides framework quantification mechanical/electrical transduction within can mechanisms at length scales.