Finite element simulation of the micropipette aspiration of a living cell undergoing large viscoelastic deformation

Experiments and computational modeling in single cell mechanics are increasingly being used to evaluate the mechanical properties of living cells such as neutrophils, erythrocytes and fibroblasts. Here, we perform modeling of the micropipette aspiration experiment which has been widely used for measuring the viscoelastic properties of single cells. The commonly used standard linear solid model is extended into the standard neo-Hookean solid model and the large deformation of anchorage-dependent cells in response to micropipette aspiration is simulated. The effects of pipette radius and fillet radius on the rheological behaviour of the cell are also systematically studied. Based on the finite element results, three relationships are derived for the interpretation of the mechanical parameters from the micropipette aspiration of cytoskeleton-rich eukaryotic cells.