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Biomedical Engineering and Bioengineering Commons

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Articles 1 - 4 of 4

Full-Text Articles in Biomedical Engineering and Bioengineering

Data-Driven And Cell-Specific Determination Of Nuclei-Associated Actin Structure, Nina Nikitina, Nurbanu Bursa, Matthew Goelzer, Madison Goldfeldt, Chase Crandall, Sean Howard, Janet Rubin, Anamaria Zavala, Aykut Satici, Gunes Uzer May 2024

Data-Driven And Cell-Specific Determination Of Nuclei-Associated Actin Structure, Nina Nikitina, Nurbanu Bursa, Matthew Goelzer, Madison Goldfeldt, Chase Crandall, Sean Howard, Janet Rubin, Anamaria Zavala, Aykut Satici, Gunes Uzer

Mechanical and Biomedical Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Quantitative volumetric assessment of filamentous actin (F-actin) fibers remains challenging due to their interconnected nature, leading researchers to utilize threshold-based or qualitative measurement methods with poor reproducibility. Herein, a novel machine learning-based methodology is introduced for accurate quantification and reconstruction of nuclei-associated F-actin. Utilizing a convolutional neural network (CNN), actin filaments and nuclei from 3D confocal microscopy images are segmented and then each fiber is reconstructed by connecting intersecting contours on cross-sectional slices. This allows measurement of the total number of actin filaments and individual actin filament length and volume in a reproducible fashion. Focusing on the role of F-actin …


Nuclear Envelope Mechanobiology: Linking The Nuclear Structure And Function, Matthew Goelzer, Julianna Goelzer, Matthew L. Ferguson, Corey P. Neu, Gunes Uzer Dec 2021

Nuclear Envelope Mechanobiology: Linking The Nuclear Structure And Function, Matthew Goelzer, Julianna Goelzer, Matthew L. Ferguson, Corey P. Neu, Gunes Uzer

Mechanical and Biomedical Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

The nucleus, central to cellular activity, relies on both direct mechanical input as well as its molecular transducers to sense external stimuli and respond by regulating intra-nuclear chromatin organization that determines cell function and fate. In mesenchymal stem cells of musculoskeletal tissues, changes in nuclear structures are emerging as a key modulator of their differentiation and proliferation programs. In this review we will first introduce the structural elements of the nucleoskeleton and discuss the current literature on how nuclear structure and signaling are altered in relation to environmental and tissue level mechanical cues. We will focus on state-of-the-art techniques to …


Role Of The Nuclear Envelope In The Mechanoregulation Adipogenesis, Matthew H. Goelzer Dec 2021

Role Of The Nuclear Envelope In The Mechanoregulation Adipogenesis, Matthew H. Goelzer

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Mechanical signals are known regulators of mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) fate, regulating their differentiation into osteoblasts, chondrocytes, and adipocytes. These relevant mechanical signals reach to nucleus through nuclear envelope proteins such as Lamin A/C and the Linker of the Nucleoskeleton and Cytoskeleton (LINC) complexes. Within the context of bone, clinically relevant mutations of Lamin A/C and the LINC complexes have been shown to alter adipogenic and osteogenic MSC differentiation patterns, suggesting that that nucleo-cytoskeletal connectivity provided by nuclear envelope is important in regulating MSC fate. Using MSC adipogenesis as a model of MSC mechanical regulation, the goal of this work …


Lamin A/C Is Dispensable To Mechanical Repression Of Adipogenesis, Matthew Goelzer, Gunes Uzer Jun 2021

Lamin A/C Is Dispensable To Mechanical Repression Of Adipogenesis, Matthew Goelzer, Gunes Uzer

Mechanical and Biomedical Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) maintain the musculoskeletal system by differentiating into multiple lineages, including osteoblasts and adipocytes. Mechanical signals, including strain and low-intensity vibration (LIV), are important regulators of MSC differentiation via control exerted through the cell structure. Lamin A/C is a protein vital to the nuclear architecture that supports chromatin organization and differentiation and contributes to the mechanical integrity of the nucleus. We investigated whether lamin A/C and mechanoresponsiveness are functionally coupled during adipogenesis in MSCs. siRNA depletion of lamin A/C increased the nuclear area, height, and volume and decreased the circularity and stiffness. Lamin A/C depletion significantly decreased …