In Pursuit of Designing Multicellular Engineered Living Systems: A Fluid Mechanical Perspective

From intracellular protein signaling to embryonic symmetry-breaking, fluid transport ubiquitously drives biological events in living systems. We provide an overview of the fundamental fluid mechanics and transport phenomena across a range of length scales in cellular systems, with emphasis on how cellular functions are influenced by fluid transport. We also highlight how understanding the physical basis of these fluid dynamic phenomena can be implemented to engineer increasingly complex multicellular systems that recapitulate tissue-level functions. Examples discussed include the manipulation of intracellular fluid volume to achieve cell differentiation/dedifferentiation and the use of microfluidic systems to control the spatial and temporal distribution of morphogens and fluid forces to generate vascularized organoids.

Automated summary

From intracellular protein signaling to embryonic symmetry-breaking, fluid transport plays a crucial role in driving biological events. Understanding the physical basis of fluid dynamics can be utilized to engineer complex multicellular systems and manipulate cellular functions. Examples include controlling intracellular fluid volume for cell differentiation and using microfluidic systems to generate vascularized organoids through spatial and temporal distribution of morphogens and fluid forces.