MultiStretcher, a novel biomechatronics cell stretching system featured in an application in „Nature“
Researchers from the Institute of Medical Biotechnology (MBT) at FAU have recently contributed to a joint publication in Nature together with the group of Prof. Taija Mäkinen from Uppsala University:
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-025-08724-6
In the study, the MultiStretcher, a novel biomechatronics cell stretching system developed at MBT, was applied to lymphatic endothelial cells to investigate their dynamic response to cyclic isotropic stretch. The MultiStretcher is a follow-up engineering development based on our IsoStretcher technology, described in 2016, that is increasingly being applied by and together with international partners to address current questions in mechanobiology and mechanomedicine.
In the current study, the team around Taija Mäkinen cultured lymphatic cells in our custom-molded flexible chambers. These were stretched with our MultiStretcher system, and consecutively analysed by fluorescence microscopy.
Lymphatic vessels are essential drainage-pipes for fluid from the tissues back into the circulation, and dysfunctions thereof can result in tissue edema. Despite their important role in maintaining tissue fluid homeostasis, the dynamic mechanics of lymphatic endothelial cells has not been widely addressed, in particular since adequate metrologies have not been available. Technology developments like our cell-stretcher systems can add important contributions here, which is also attested by the current high-ranked publication in Nature.
From the Institute MBT, three researchers contributed to this study (Fabian Linsenmeier, Sebastian Schürmann, Oliver Friedrich)
Contact: Fabian Linsenmeier (fabian.linsenmeier@fau.de)