Biomechanics of cells and subcellular components: A comprehensive review of computational models and applications

• Published in: International journal for numerical methods in biomedical engineering Vol. 37; no. 12; pp. e3520 - n/a
• Main Authors: Wang, Chengyuan, Li, Si, Ademiloye, Adesola S., Nithiarasu, Perumal
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Hoboken, USA John Wiley & Sons, Inc 01.12.2021; Wiley Subscription Services, Inc
• Subjects: Biological activity; biomechanical models; Biomechanics; Biomimetic materials; Biophysics; Cell culture; cells; Cellular structure; Computer applications; Mathematical models; Mechanotransduction; Polymers; protein filaments; Reviews; Rheological properties; Rheology; State-of-the-art reviews; Structure-function relationships; subcellular components; systems beyond a cell; protein filaments; systems beyond a cell; biomechanical models; cells; subcellular components
• ISSN: 2040-7939; 2040-7947
• DOI: 10.1002/cnm.3520

Cells are a fundamental structural, functional and biological unit for all living organisms. Up till now, considerable efforts have been made to study the responses of single cells and subcellular components to an external load, and understand the biophysics underlying cell rheology, mechanotransduction and cell functions using experimental and in silico approaches. In the last decade, computational simulation has become increasingly attractive due to its critical role in interpreting experimental data, analysing complex cellular/subcellular structures, facilitating diagnostic designs and therapeutic techniques, and developing biomimetic materials. Despite the significant progress, developing comprehensive and accurate models of living cells remains a grand challenge in the 21st century. To understand current state of the art, this review summarises and classifies the vast array of computational biomechanical models for cells. The article covers the cellular components at multi‐spatial levels, that is, protein polymers, subcellular components, whole cells and the systems with scale beyond a cell. In addition to the comprehensive review of the topic, this article also provides new insights into the future prospects of developing integrated, active and high‐fidelity cell models that are multiscale, multi‐physics and multi‐disciplinary in nature. This review will be beneficial for the researchers in modelling the biomechanics of subcellular components, cells and multiple cell systems and understanding the cell functions and biological processes from the perspective of cell mechanics. The present article provides a comprehensive review on the development of computational modelling techniques for the biomechanics of cells and their applications in understanding cell functions and disease mechanisms. It covers biomechanical models at the four different spatial levels, that is, protein filaments, cytoskeletal networks, single cells, and the systems beyond cellular levels. In addition to the critical review, the present article also brings new insights into the future prospect of developing an integrated, active and high‐fidelity whole cell model.