Mechanics rules cell biology

Cells in the musculoskeletal system are subjected to various mechanical forces in vivo. Years of research have shown that these mechanical forces, including tension and compression, greatly influence various cellular functions such as gene expression, cell proliferation and differentiation, and secretion of matrix proteins. Cells also use mechanotransduction mechanisms to convert mechanical signals into a cascade of cellular and molecular events. This mini-review provides an overview of cell mechanobiology to highlight the notion that mechanics, mainly in the form of mechanical forces, dictates cell behaviors in terms of both cellular mechanobiological responses and mechanotransduction

Computer aided and 3D printing in pre-operative planning of orbital reconstruction surgery

This article describes the example of a computer aided and 3D print of a patient’s fractured orbital preoperational reconstruction surgery planning. On basis of a medical visualization a triangular model of the facial part of the skull with the fractured orbital has been developed. Using the haptic voxel modeling tools the model has been improved and next the model of the reconstructed orbital has been made. This model served to build a physical model. Using the physical model of the orbital the reconstruction mesh has been made which was then implanted into the patient’s skull. The entire surgery was completed with no complications and the patient regained proper sight