• Molecules and Cells
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• v.45 no.1
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• pp.26-32
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• 2022

Living cells generate, sense, and respond to mechanical forces through their interaction with neighboring cells or extracellular matrix, thereby regulating diverse cellular processes such as growth, motility, differentiation, and immune responses. Dysregulation of mechanosensitive signaling pathways is found associated with the development and progression of various diseases such as cancer. Yet, little is known about the mechanisms behind mechano-regulation, largely due to the limited availability of tools to study it at the molecular level. The recent development of molecular tension probes allows measurement of cellular forces exerted by single ligand-receptor interaction, which has helped in revealing the hitherto unknown mechanistic details of various mechanosensitive processes in living cells. Here, we provide an introductory overview of two methods based on molecular tension probes, tension gauge tether (TGT), and molecular tension fluorescence microscopy (MTFM). TGT utilizes the irreversible rupture of double-stranded DNA tether upon application of force in the piconewton (pN) range, whereas MTFM utilizes the reversible extension of molecular springs such as polymer or single-stranded DNA hairpin under applied pN forces. Specifically, the underlying principle of how molecular tension probes measure cell-generated mechanical forces and their applications to mechanosensitive biological processes are described.

• BMB Reports
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• v.53 no.2
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• pp.74-81
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• 2020

Under physiological and pathological conditions, mechanical forces generated from cells themselves or transmitted from extracellular matrix (ECM) through focal adhesions (FAs) and adherens junctions (AJs) are known to play a significant role in regulating various cell behaviors. Substantial progresses have been made in the field of mechanobiology towards novel methods to understand how cells are able to sense and adapt to these mechanical forces over the years. To address these issues, this review will discuss recent advancements of traction force microscopy (TFM), intracellular force microscopy (IFM), and monolayer stress microscopy (MSM) to measure multiple aspects of cellular forces exerted by cells at cell-ECM and cell-cell junctional intracellular interfaces. We will also highlight how these methods can elucidate the roles of mechanical forces at interfaces of cell-cell/cell-ECM in regulating various cellular functions.

• BMB Reports
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• v.56 no.5
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• pp.287-295
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• 2023

The tumor microenvironment (TME) is a complex system composed of many cell types and an extracellular matrix (ECM). During tumorigenesis, cancer cells constantly interact with cellular components, biochemical cues, and the ECM in the TME, all of which make the environment favorable for cancer growth. Emerging evidence has revealed the importance of substrate elasticity and biomechanical forces in tumor progression and metastasis. However, the mechanisms underlying the cell response to mechanical signals-such as extrinsic mechanical forces and forces generated within the TME-are still relatively unknown. Moreover, having a deeper understanding of the mechanisms by which cancer cells sense mechanical forces and transmit signals to the cytoplasm would substantially help develop effective strategies for cancer treatment. This review provides an overview of biomechanical forces in the TME and the intracellular signaling pathways activated by mechanical cues as well as highlights the role of mechanotransductive pathways through mechanosensors that detect the altering biomechanical forces in the TME.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.27 no.12
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• pp.2079-2084
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• 2003

In biological cell manipulation, manual thrust or penetration of an injection pipette into an embryo cell is currently performed by a skilled operator, relying on visual feedback information only. Accurately measuring cellular forces is a requirement for minimally invasive cell injections. Moreover, the cellular force sensing is essential in investigating the biophysical properties for cell injury and membrane modeling studies. This paper presents cellular force measurements for the force feedback-based biomanipulation. Cellular force measurement system using piezoelectric polymer sensor is implemented to measure the penetration force of a zebrafish egg cell. First, measurement system setup and calibration are described. Second, the force feedback-based biomanipulation is experimentally carried out. Experimental results show that it successfully supplies real-time cellular force feedback to the operator at tens of uN and thus plays a main role in improving the reliability of biological cell injection tasks.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Precision Engineering Conference
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• 2003.06a
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• pp.237-240
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• 2003

In biological cell manipulation, manual thrust or penetration of an injection pipette into an embryo cell is currently performed by a skilled operator, relying on visual feedback information only. Accurately measuring cellular forces is a requirement for minimally invasive cell injections. Moreover, the cellular farce sensing is essential in investigating the biophysical properties for cell injury and membrane modeling studies. This paper presents cellular force measurements for the force feedback-based biomanipulation. Cellular force measurement system using piezoelectric polymer sensor is implemented to measure the penetration force of a zebrafish egg cell. First, measurement system setup and calibration are described. Second, the force feedback-based biomanipulation is experimentally carried out. Experimental results show that it successfully supplies real-time cellular force feedback to the operator at several tens of uN and thus plays a main role in improving the reliability of biological cell injection tasks.

• Journal of National Security and Military Science
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• s.9
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• pp.257-282
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• 2011

In this paper, we propose an architecture design of military operation system utilizing cellular networks. The main contribution of this paper is to provide a cost-effective military operation solution for ground forces, which is based on IT(information technology). By employing the cellular phones of officers' and non-commissioned officers' as the tools of operational communication, the proposed system can be constructed in the minimum duration and be built on the four components: command and control system, gateway, security system, and terminal(cell phone). This system is most effective for the warfare of limited area, but the effectiveness does not decrease under the total war covering the whole land of Korea. For the environmental change of near future, expanded architecture is also provided to utilize the functionalities of smart phones.

• Proceedings of the KSME Conference
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• 2000.11b
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• pp.627-632
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• 2000

Developing turbulent flows in a rotating 90 degree bend with square cross-section were measured by a hot-wire anemometer. The six orientation hot-wire technique was applied to measured the distributions of 3 mean velocities and 6 Reynolds stress components. Effects of Coriolis and centrifugal forces caused by the curvature and rotation of bend on the mean motion and turbulence structures were experimentally investigated Productive addition of Coriolis and centrifugal forces to the outward radial direction in the entrance region of bend increases the secondary flow intensity according to the rotational speeds. However, after 45 degree of bend, centrifugal force due to the rotation of bend may promote the break down of counter rotating vortex pair into multi-cellular pattern, thereby decreasing the production rate of turbulence energy and Reynolds stresses.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.45 no.1
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• pp.16-25
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• 2022

Mechanical forces play pivotal roles in regulating cell shape, function, and fate. Key players that govern the mechanobiological interplay are the mechanosensitive proteins found on cell membranes and in cytoskeleton. Their unique nanomechanics can be interrogated using single-molecule tweezers, which can apply controlled forces to the proteins and simultaneously measure the ensuing structural changes. Breakthroughs in high-resolution tweezers have enabled the routine monitoring of nanometer-scale, millisecond dynamics as a function of force. Undoubtedly, the advancement of structural biology will be further fueled by integrating static atomic-resolution structures and their dynamic changes and interactions observed with the force application techniques. In this minireview, we will introduce the general principles of single-molecule tweezers and their recent applications to the studies of force-bearing proteins, including the synaptic proteins that need to be categorized as mechanosensitive in a broad sense. We anticipate that the impact of nano-precision approaches in mechanobiology research will continue to grow in the future.

• The korean journal of orthodontics
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.7-15
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• 1981

Tooth movement by orthodontic force is based upon alveolar bone resorption at compression site and bone formation at tension site of tooth. The function of cyclic AMP is to participate not only in initial action of bone cells by mechanical forces but also in the continuous cellular response leading to bone remodeling. This experiment was performed to clarify the role of cyclic AMP in bone remodeling by mechanical forces. The orthodontic forces of about 80 gm and 100 gm were applied to the right canines of maxillary and mandibular bone, respectively, in cats, treated for periods of time ranging from one hour to 28 days. Alveolar bones were obtained from compression and tension sites surrounding tipping maxillary and mandibular canines as well as from contralateral control sites. The samples were extracted, boiled and homogenized, and the supernatants were assayed for cyclic AMP by a radioimmunoassay method. The results were as follows: 1. The orthodontic movement of canines was increased to the end of experimental period and the action of orthodontic forces on tooth movement was more effective in maxillary canine. 2. The cyclic AMP levels of alveolar bones in compression and tension sites initially decreased, then increased and remained elevated to the end of experiment. The differences of the cyclic AMP levels between treated sites and non-treated sites were gradually increased. 3. The cyclic AMP levels in treated sites of mandibular alveolar bone was higher than that of maxillary alveolar bone.

• Journal of the Korea Institute of Military Science and Technology
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.74-83
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• 2011

In this paper, we propose an architecture design of military operation system utilizing cellular networks. The main contribution of this paper is to provide a cost-effective military operation solution for ground forces, which is based on IT(information technology). By employing the cellular phones of officers' and non-commissioned officers' as the tools of operational communication, the proposed system can be constructed in the minimum duration and be built on the four components: command and control system, gateway, security system, and terminal(cell phone). This system is most effective for the warfare of limited area, but the effectiveness does not decrease under the total war covering the whole land of Korea. For the environmental change of near future, expanded architecture is also provided to utilize the functionalities of smart phones.