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  • Open AccessOpen Access

    ARTICLE

    Molecular Dynamics Simulation of the Size Effect of Carbon Nanotubes on the Bulk Modulus of a Lipid Bilayer

    Yong Gan*, Zhen Chen∗,†
    Molecular & Cellular Biomechanics, Vol.3, No.3, pp. 89-94, 2006, DOI:10.3970/mcb.2006.003.089
    Abstract Due to their nanoscale size and special features, carbon nanotubes could enter the human body via certain way. The growing use of carbon nanotubes in practical applications, hence, prompts a necessity to study the potential health risks of carbon nanotubes. A numerical study is performed in this paper to investigate the size effect of carbon nanotubes on the bulk modulus of a lipid bilayer by using the constant surface tension molecular dynamics simulation procedure. It is found that the size effect is not monotonic with the increase of nanotube length. An explanation is given on the basis of the atomic… More >

  • Open AccessOpen Access

    ARTICLE

    Intracellular Calcium Waves in Bone Cell Networks under Single Cell Nanoindentation

    X. Edward Guo∗,†,‡, Erica Takai∗,‡, Xingyu Jiang§, Qiaobing Xu§, George M. Whitesides§, James T. Yardley, Clark T. Hung*, Eugene M. Chow||, Thomas Hantschel∗∗, Kevin D. Costa
    Molecular & Cellular Biomechanics, Vol.3, No.3, pp. 95-108, 2006, DOI:10.3970/mcb.2006.003.095
    Abstract In this study, bone cells were successfully cultured into a micropatterned network with dimensions close to that of in vivo osteocyte networks using microcontact printing and self-assembled monolyers (SAMs). The optimal geometric parameters for the formation of these networks were determined in terms of circle diameters and line widths. Bone cells patterned in these networks were also able to form gap junctions with each other, shown by immunofluorescent staining for the gap junction protein connexin 43, as well as the transfer of gap-junction permeable calcein-AM dye. We have demonstrated for the first time, that the intracellular calcium response of a… More >

  • Open AccessOpen Access

    ARTICLE

    Modulation of the Self-assembled Structure of Biomolecules: Coarse Grained Molecular Dynamics Simulation

    Baohua Ji*, Yonggang Huang
    Molecular & Cellular Biomechanics, Vol.3, No.3, pp. 109-120, 2006, DOI:10.3970/mcb.2006.003.109
    Abstract The mechanisms governing the self-assembled structure of biomolecules (single chain and bundle of chains) are studied with an AB copolymer model via the coarse grained molecular dynamics simulations. Non-local hydrophobic interaction is found to play a critical role in the pattern formation of the assembled structure of polymer chains. We show that the polymer structure could be controlled by adjusting the balance between local (short range) and non-local (long range) hydrophobic interaction which are influenced by various factors such as the sequences, chain length, stiffness, confinement, and the topology of polymers. In addition, the competition between the intrachain hydrophobic interaction… More >

  • Open AccessOpen Access

    ARTICLE

    Optimal Substrate Shape for Vesicle Adhesion on a Curved Substrate

    Wendong Shi∗,†, Xi-Qiao Feng*, Huajian Gao
    Molecular & Cellular Biomechanics, Vol.3, No.3, pp. 121-126, 2006, DOI:10.3970/mcb.2006.003.121
    Abstract When pulling a vesicle adhered on a substrate, both the force-displacement profile and the maximum force at pull-off are sensitively dependent upon the substrate shape. Here we consider the adhesion between a two-dimensional vesicle and a rigid substrate via long-range molecular interactions. For a given contact area, the theoretical pull-off force of the vesicle is obtained by multiplying the theoretical strength of adhesion and the contact area. It is shown that one may design an optimal substrate shape to achieve the theoretical pull-off force. More >

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