Cellular and respiratory biomechanics

Prof. Dr. Navajas, Daniel
Group Leader


Edifici Hèlix | Baldiri Reixac 15-21 | 08028 | Barcelona
Email : dnavajasibecbarcelona.eu

Research Topics

Cell Mechanics / Cell Adhesion / Cell-matrix Interaction / Molecular Mechanics / Nanobiotechnology & Nanomedicine / Respiratory Bioengineering

Our goal is to gain a better understanding of cellular and respiratory biomechanics in order to improve the diagnosis and treatment of respiratory disease. Our work is organized into two interrelated areas, focusing on respiratory mechanics at both the systemic and the cellular level. We use basic and translational approaches in a multidisciplinary framework involving cooperation with clinical research groups working in the field of respiratory medicine.

Normarsky image of a migrating epithelial monolayer. The cell nuclei are stained in blue.

At the systemic level, we study the mechanical properties of the airway and lung tissues and the changes that occur in the context of the mechanical dysfunction associated with respiratory diseases. The research is mainly focused on the mechanics of the upper airway in sleep apnea syndrome and on mechanical ventilation in acute and chronic respiratory failure.

At the cellular level, we develop and apply cutting-edge nanotechnology and advanced biophysical techniques to probe the mechanical behaviour of the cells and their mechanical interactions with the microenvironment. We study the mechanical properties of the cell and its response to inflammation and mechanical stresses and develop new approaches to differentiate stem cells using mechanical stimuli. Our research also focuses on the study of the biophysical mechanisms regulating the adhesion and vascular transmigration of leukocytes. We also investigate the mechanical determinants of carcinogenesis. Finally, we measure and model the physical forces that drive collective cell migration.

Probing mechanical properties of decellularized scaffolds with atomic force microscopy.

• Prof. Dr. Daniel Navajas | Group Leader
• Dr. Jordi Alcaraz | Senior Researcher
• Dr. Pere Roca-Cusachs | Senior Researcher
• Tomas Luque | PhD Student
• Anita Joanna Kosmalska | Master Student
• Laura Schaedel | Master Student

• Lynch, C., Gaulthier, N., Biais, N., M., L. A., Roca-Cusachs, P., Yu, C.-H. & Sheetz, M. (2011). Filamin depletion blocks endoplasmic spreading and destabilizes force-bearing adhesions. Mol Biol Cell, 22(8), 1263–1273.
• Gaulthier, N., Fardin, M., Roca-Cusachs, P. & Sheetz, M. (2011). Temporary increase in plasma membrane tension coordinates the activation of exocytosis and contraction during cell spreading. PNAS, 108(35), 14467-72.
• Gavara, N., Roca-Cusachs, P., Sunyer, R., Farre, R. & Navajas, D. (2011). Mapping cell-matrix stresses during stretch reveals inelastic reorganization of the cytoskeleton. Biophys J., 95(1), 464-71.
• Dellaca, R., Montserrat, J., Govoni, L., Pedotti, A., Navajas, D. & Farre, R. (2011). Telemetric CPAP titration at home in patients with sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome. Sleep Medicine, 12(2), 153-157.
• Mathur, A., Roca-Cusachs, P., Rossier, O., Wind, S., Sheetz, M. & Hone, J. (2011). New approach for measuring protrusive forces in cells. J. Vac. Sci. Technol. B, in press.
• Moore, S., Roca-Cusachs, P. & Sheetz, M. (2010). Stretchy Proteins on Stretchy Substrates: The Important Elements of Integrin-Mediated Rigidity Sensing. Developmental Cell, 19(2), 194-206.
• Park, C. Y., Tambe, D., Alencar, A. M., Trepat, X., Zhou, E. H., Millet, E., Butler, J. P. & Fredberg, J. J. (2010). Mapping the cytoskeletal prestress. American Journal of Physiology - Cell Physiology, 298(5), C1245-C1252.
• Iranzo, A., Isseta, V., Molinuevo, J., Serradell, M., Navajas, D., Farre, R. & Santamaría, J. (2010). Electroencephalographic slowing heralds mild cognitive impairment in idiopathic REM sleep behavior disorder. Sleep Medicine, 11(6), 534-539.
• Angelini, T. ~., Hannezo, E., Trepat, X., Fredberg, J. ~. & Weitz, D. ~. (2010). Cell Migration Driven by Cooperative Substrate Deformation Patterns. Physical Review Letters, 104(16), 168104-+.
• Almendros, I., Montserrat, J., Torres, M., Gonzalez, C., Navajas, D. & Farre, R. (2010). Changes in oxygen partial pressure of brain tissue in an animal model of obstructive apnea. Respiratory Research, 11(1), 3.
• Nacher, M., Farré, R., Montserrat, J., Navajas, D., Torres, M., Bulbena, O. & Serrano-Mollar, A. (2009). Biological consequences of oxygen desaturation and respiratory effort in an acute animal model of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Sleep Medicine, 10(8), 892-897.
• Farre, R. & Navajas, D. (2009). Quality control: a necessary, but sometimes overlooked, tool for improving respiratory medicine. European Respiratory Journal, 33(4), 722-723.
• Carreras, A., Almendros, I., Acerbi, I., Montserrat, J. M., Navajas, D. & Farré, R. (2009). Obstructive apneas induce early release of mesenchymal stem cells into circulating blood.. Sleep, 32(1), 117-9.
• Sunyer, R., Ritort, F., Farré, R. & Navajas, D. (2009). Thermal activation and ATP dependence of the cytoskeleton remodeling dynamics. Phys. Rev. E, 79(5), 051920.
• Puig, F., Gavara, N., Sunyer, R., Carreras, A., Farré, R. & Navajas, D. (2009). Stiffening and Contraction Induced by Dexamethasone in Alveolar Epithelial Cells. Experimental Mechanics, 49, 47-55.
• Sunyer, R., Trepat, X., Fredberg, J. J., Farré, R. & Navajas, D. (2009). The temperature dependence of cell mechanics measured by atomic force microscopy. Physical Biology, 6(2), 025009.
• Roca-Cusachs, P., Alcaraz, J., Sunyer, R., Samitier, J., Farre, R. & Navajas, D. (2008). Micropatterning of Single Endothelial Cell Shape Reveals a Tight Coupling between Nuclear Volume in G1 and Proliferation_1. Biophys J., 94, 4984-4995.
• Rico, F., Roca-Cusachs, P., Sunyer, R., Farré, R. & Navajas, D. (2007). Cell dynamic adhesion and elastic properties probed with cylindrical atomic force microscopy cantilever tips.. J Mol Recognit, 20(6), 459-66.
• Almendros, I., Acerbi, I., Puig, F., Montserrat, J. M., Navajas, D. & Farré, R. (2007). Upper-airway inflammation triggered by vibration in a rat model of snoring.. Sleep, 30(2), 225-7.
• Trepat, X., Deng, L., An, S. S., Navajas, D., Tschumperlin, D. J., Gerthoffer, W. T., Butler, J. P. & Fredberg, J. J. (2007). Universal physical responses to stretch in the living cell. Nature, 447(7144), 592-595.
• Gavara, N., Sunyer, R., Roca-Cusachs, P., Farre, R., Rotger, M. & Navajas, D. (2006). Thrombin-induced contraction in alveolar epithelial cells probed by traction microscopy. Journal of Applied Physiology, 101(2), 512-520.
• Trepat, X., Puig, F., Gavara, N., J., F. J., Farre, R. & Navajas, D. (2006). AdInstruments Expand Effect of stretch on structural integrity and micromechanics of human alveolar epithelial cell monolayers exposed to thrombin. Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol., 290(6), L1104-10.
• Trepat, X., Puig, F., Gavara, N., Fredberg, J. J., Farre, R. & Navajas, D. (2006). Effect of stretch on structural integrity and micromechanics of human alveolar epithelial cell monolayers exposed to thrombin.. Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol, 290(6), L1104-10.
• Roca-Cusachs, P., Almendros, I., Sunyer, R., Gavara, N., Farré, R. & Navajas, D. (2006). Rheology of Passive and Adhesion-Activated Neutrophils Probed by Atomic Force Microscopy. Biophysical Journal, 91(9), 3508 - 3518.
• Roca-Cusachs, P., Rico, F., Martínez, E., Toset, J., Farre, R. & Navajas, D. (2005). Stability of Microfabricated High Aspect Ratio Structures in Poly(dimethylsiloxane)_1. Langmuir, 21(12), 5542–5548.
• Rico, F., Roca-Cusachs, P., Gavara, N., Farre, R., Rotger, M. & Navajas, D. (2005). Probing mechanical properties of living cells by atomic force microscopy with blunted pyramidal cantilever tips. Phys. Rev. E, 72, 021914.
• Sellares, J., Acerbi, I., Loureiro, H., Dellaca, R. L., Ferrer, M., Torres, A., Navajas, D. & Farre, R. Respiratory impedance during weaning from mechanical ventilation in a mixed population of critically ill patients. British Journal of Anaesthesia.

Projects

• CELL TRANS Integrated Molecular and Cellular Mechanotransduction Mediated by Protein (2008-2011) Daniel Navajas
• Alteración de la Nanomecánica de los neutrófilos en la lesión pulmonar inducida por el ventilador Daniel Navajas

Collaborations

• Prof. J. Cortiella

  Laboratory of Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston (USA)



• Prof. A. Pedotti

  Bioengineering Dept, Politecnico di Milano. Milan, Italy



• Prof. A. Torres

  Service of Pneumology, Hospital Clinic/IDIBAPS, Barcelona, Spain



• Prof. A. Artigas

  Intensive Care Service, Hospital Sabadell, Sabadell, Spain



• Prof. Felix Ritort

  Small Biosystems Lab, Dept. Fundamental Physics, School of Physics, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain



• Prof. M. Sheetz

  Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, USA



• Prof. J. M. Montserrat

  Service of Pneumology, Hospital Clinic/IDIBAPS, Barcelona, Spain



• Prof. D. Petrov

  Bio-Photonics Group, Institute of Photonic Sciences, Castelldefels, Spain



• Prof. V. T. Moy

  Dept. Physiology and Biophysics, Miami University, Miami, USA



• Prof. Ramon Farré

  Unit of Biophysics and Bioengineering, Dept. Physiological Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Barcelona/IDIBAPS, Barcelona, Spain

• Fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) microscopy
• Confocal Microcopy
• Traction Microscopy
• Live cell fluorescence microscopy
• Cell stretching
• Cell culture
• Magnetic Tweezers
• Atomic Force Microscopy
• Surface Micro/Nano-patterning
• Optical Tweezers

22/09/2009

Discovery of the Functional Differences Between 2 Integrins in the Adhesion of the Cell

The adhesion of cells to the various components of their environment is mediated mainly by molecules known as integrins. Mediate adhesion with fibronectin, two integrins, α5β1 and αvβ3, which is present in the extracellular matrix. But why are 2 molecules involved in the adhesion to a single extracellular component? An article published on-line in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), whose main author is Pere Roca-Cusachs, an IBEC researcher, offers the first experimental answer to this question.

10/07/2009

Feeling and pressing the cytoplasm

IBEC researcher in collaboration with a Harvard-led team in PNAS

06/05/2009

Researcher at IBEC publishes in Nature Physics

An article by Dr. Xavier Trepat, senior researcher of IBEC´s Cellular and respiratory biomechanics group and the Department of Physiology Sciences of the University of Barcelona, contributes for the first time an experimental answer to the question of how cells move during biological processes as diverse as the development, metastasis, or regeneration of tissues.