edited by Hiroshi Wada (Tohoku University, Japan)

This book is essential reading for those interested in understanding current trends of research in the area of biomechanics at micro- and nanoscale levels. It details the research carried out to date in this field by fourteen prominent researchers as part of a four-year government supported project which commenced in 2003. It consists of four chapters entitled Cell Mechanics, Cell Response to Mechanical Stimulation, Tissue Engineering and Computational Biomechanics.

• Cell Mechanics:
  • Imaging and Mechanical Properties of Guinea Pig Outer Hair Cells Studied by Atomic Force Microscopy (H Wada et al.)
  • Development of a Novel Micro Tensile Tester for Single Isolated Cells and Its Application to Viscoelastic Analysis of Aortic Smooth Muscle Cells (T Matsumoto et al.)
  • Shear Dependent Albumin Uptake in Cultured Endothelial Cells (K Tanishita et al.)
  • Biomechanical and Biotribological Importance of Surface and Surface Zone in Articular Cartilage (T Murakami et al.)
• Cell Response to Mechanical Stimulation:
  • Osteoblasts Mechanosensitivity to Localized Mechanical Stimulus Depends on Orientation of Cytoskeletal Actin Fibers (T Adachi & K Sato)
  • Microbiomechanical Properties of Cultured Endothelial Cells Estimated by Atomic Force Microscopy (M Sato)
  • Effects of Mechanical Stresses on the Migrating Behavior of Endothelial Cells (T Tanaka et al.)
• Tissue Engineering:
  • Engineering Approaches to Regulate Cell Differentiation and Tissue Regeneration (T Ushida et al.)
  • A New Theory on the Localization of Vascular Diseases (T Karino et al.)
  • Automorphogenesis of Load Bearing Fibrous Tissues: Generation of Tensile Stress, Cell Alignment, and Matrix Deformation by Fibroblasts (K Takakuda)
• Computational Biomechanics:
  • Note on Anisotropic Properties of Cancellous Bone and Trabeculae: Elasticity and Hardness (M Tanaka et al.)
  • Application of Computational Biomechanics to Clinical Cardiovascular Medicine (T Yamaguchi)
  • Biomechanical Study for Skeletal Muscle Injury and a View of Micro-Biomechanics for Microstructure of Muscle (S Yamamoto & E Tanaka)
  • Mechanical Behavior and Structural Changes of Cells Subjected to Mechanical Stimuli: Deformation, Freezing, and Shock Waves (H Yamada et al.)