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Tensegrity model for the investigation of cell biomechanics

Parole chiave TENSEGRITY, CELL BIOMECHANICS, FEM

Riferimenti GIUSEPPE LACIDOGNA, CECILIA SURACE

Riferimenti esterni SCARAMOZZINO DOMENICO

Tipo tesi NUMERICAL AND THEORETICAL

Descrizione The tensegrity is a spatial structure system, made up of nodes connected by tensioned cables and compressed struts. The system is maintained in equilibrium by its geometrical shape and the internal prestress.
Donald E. Ingber firstly proposed the tensegrity as a potential model for the cellular cytoskeleton. In this analogy, the compressed microtubules (MTs) act as the struts of the cellular tensegrity, whereas microfilaments
(MFs) and intermediate filaments (IFs) can be seen as the tensioned cables. Subsequently, the tensegrity has been deeply used to investigate the stiffness properties of the cell, as well as its (nonlinear) response to external mechanical stimuli. The goal of this MSc Thesis is thus to study the mechanical behavior of cells by means of the tensegrity model. In this context, a deep literature survey of the existing research will be the basis for subsequent numerical calculations by means of Finite Element Methods. Different modeling techniques will be applied for the investigation of cell biomechanics in different conditions, e.g., cells in the suspended or adhered conditions, healthy or cancer-like cells, etc.

Conoscenze richieste Knowledge of structural mechanics and of the basic finite element method for the solution of structural problems


Scadenza validita proposta 16/11/2022      PROPONI LA TUA CANDIDATURA




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