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Studying Macrophage Response to Mechanical Stretch
Hamza Atcha
Mentor: Wendy F. Liu
Macrophages are immune cells that are derived from circulating monocytes and play a critical role in
surveying tissue for infection or damage. These cells are recruited to tissues throughout the body, including
those that experience significant mechanical stimulation. However, little is known about how mechanical
forces, such as stretch, influence macrophage function. In this work, we examine the response of
macrophages to a unidirectional stimulation in vitro through the use of a uniaxial cell stretcher. Commercial
uniaxial stretchers are costly and have rigid capabilities limiting their use and effectiveness in studying the
responses of load sensitive cells to mechanical stresses. We designed and fabricated a low cost device that will
provide uniform and reproducible stresses that simulate the mechanical environment of load sensitive cells.
The stretcher is used to study the response of macrophages to uniaxial mechanical stretch. Macrophages
exhibited a morphological response to mechanical stimulation and are observed to elongate and align in the
direction of stretch. However, the degree of elongation and orientation are not influenced by changes in the
stretch amplitude. Continued work will focus on the effect of stretch on macrophage phenotype polarization.
A greater understanding of how the mechanical environment influences macrophage behavior will provide
further insight about the progression of diseases including cancer and atherosclerosis, in which macrophages
and mechanics have independently been shown to play important roles.