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MEAM Seminar: “Role of Water in the Mechanics of Cells and Tissues”
January 12, 2023 at 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM
A large fraction of cell and tissue mass is made of water. The flow of water across the cell surface follows osmotic and hydraulic pressure gradients, and is actively controlled by the cell. This physical fact suggests that the mechanical behavior of cells is intimately connected with cell ionic homeostasis and osmotic control. In this talk, we will describe some of our recent experimental and modeling work on water dynamics in cells. We explore how cells control their cytoplasm water content and therefore the cell size. We will describe how cells can use directional flow of water to propel themselves and migrate, and in the case of epithelia, pump fluid between tissue compartments. In the later case, epithelial pumping of water can strongly influence tissue shape and morphogenesis.
Sean Sun
Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University
Sean Sun is a professor of mechanical engineering and biomedical engineering at Johns Hopkins University and a member of the Institute of NanoBioTechnology (INBT) at Hopkins. He also directs the computational core at the Johns Hopkins Physical Sciences in Oncology Center (PSOC). His research interests include cell mechanics, cell motility and cancer cell dynamics. He is a fellow of the American Physical Society and the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering.