Activation of beating of cardiac clusters through mechanical loading and study of synchronization mechanisms

这是一个研究心肌细胞簇对机械负荷反应的合作项目的第二阶段。该项目第二阶段的重点将是理解和模拟机械载荷下单个集群细胞的同步机制；两个簇（心脏球体）具有机械通讯；以及三个或更多的集群。此外，将在有源介质的相应多场模型中阐明和实现电气和机械通信的可能协同作用。细胞间通讯和再生损伤的作用将在实验和理论上进行研究，后者是医学应用的一个重要目标。实验研究将在横滨国立大学进行，理论建模将在柏林工业大学进行。建模将使用降维方法。两项研究的比较将用于验证模型和参数识别。通过对实验装置的修改，将研究簇的机械载荷和可能的电场之间的相互关系，并首先将其实现为介质的连续介质模型，然后实现为接触模型。另一个重要的工作包将致力于介质特性的不可逆变化-损伤和再生，将使用边界元法（柏林工业大学）和有限元法（横滨国立大学）进行实验，理论和数值研究。

This is the second phase of a cooperative project studying the response of clusters of cardiac cells to mechanical loading. The focus of the second phase of the project will be understanding and modeling of synchronization mechanisms of cells of a single cluster under mechanical loading; of two clusters (cardiac spheroids) with mechanical communication; as well as three and more clusters. Further, the possible synergy of electrical and mechanical communication will be elucidated and implemented in a corresponding multi-field model of the active medium. The role of damage of inter-cell communication and of regeneration will be studied experimentally and theoretically, the latter being an important goal for medical applications.Experimental study will be carried out at the Yokohama National University and theoretical modeling at TU Berlin. Modeling will be done using the Method of Dimensionality Reduction. Comparison of both studies will be used for validation of the model and for parameter identification. Using a modification of the experimental set-up, the interrelation of mechanical loading of clusters and possible electrical fields will be studied and implemented first into a continuum model of the medium and then into a contact model. A further important work package will be devoted to irreversible changes in properties of the medium – both damages and regeneration which will be studied experimentally, theoretically and numerically using the Boundary Element Method (TU Berlin) and Finite Element Method (Yokohama National University).