This is an archived course. A more recent version may be available at ocw.mit.edu.

Syllabus

Course Meeting Times

Lectures: 2 sessions / week, 1.5 hours / session

Course Topics

  • Response of cells and tissues to exogenous mechanical loading.
  • Endogenous mechanical forces generated by cells (viz., contractile forces generated by connective tissue cells).
  • Molecular structure-mechanical properties relationships for selected connective tissues.
    • Chemical composition of the extracellular matrix of tissues.
    • Structure of tissues (viz., connective tissues) at the nanometer, micrometer, and millimeter length scales (including the hierarchical structure of tissues).
    • Load-deformation behavior of tissues at the micrometer and millimeter scales.
  • Interrelationships among the above.

Unique Aspects of the Subject

  • Assessment of the response of cells and tissues to mechanical forces; discussion of mechano-transduction mechanisms.
  • Discussion of contraction of connective tissue cells.

Course Textbook

Buy at Amazon Yannas, I. V. Tissue and Organ Regeneration in Adults. New York, NY: Springer, 2001. ISBN: 9780387952147.

This book is supplemented by papers, presentations and readings.

Grading

The course grade is based entirely on the three quizzes.