Macrophage/Monocyte Response to Low-Intensity Vibrations and Shear Stress on Wound Healing

Current Research Topic

All types of physical trauma or damage to cells induce a preliminary response from the immune system. It is known that macrophages and monocytes are important components to the immune response, in that they destroy foreign material, release signals such as cytokines and growth factors to either recruit other cells or promote cellular regrowth, remodeling, and angiogenesis. It is important to understand how these processes work, as well as how certain factors stimulate them. Evidence has shown that Low Intensity Vibrations (LIV) improve cell growth in tissue, while reducing the loss of tissue in less mechanically stressful situations (due to little to no cellular activity). Other mechanical signals, such as shear stress or stretch may have an effect on these cells, especially because they naturally reside within the vasculature of blood vessels. It is widely known that fluid shear stress and tensile stretch (caused by constriction and vasodilation) result in biochemical and mechanical changes in vivo that promote a number of different cellular functions in endothelial cell. For my graduate study, I am studying the genetic responses of macrophages/monocytes that undergo mechanical vibration and sheer stress in vitro. I plan on studying the interaction between macrophages/monocytes and other cell types, most notably endothelial, muscle and bone cells.