Physical Impact of Cancer Cells on the Extracellular Matrix

Undergraduates: Harry Heyworth, Cordell Corbin, Matthew Lamore Britta Gorman Xuezheng Cao, Timothy O'Brien, Paul Maddox Cordell Corbin

Faculty Advisor: Laurie McNeil
Department: Physics & Astronomy

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The goal of this project is to measure the elastic constant of the extracellular matrix (ECM), which is primarily collagen, after cancerous cells have metastasized. This is a joint project with Cordell Corbin. I create samples, perform measurements on them, and collaborate with other contributors on the creation of a computer model to simulate and predict experimental results. For sample creation, I make an aqueous collagen solution with a concentration of 2.8 mmol/L and calculate the time and concentration of collagenase needed to split a given percentage of collagen bonds. The collagenase reaction is catalyzed by calcium chloride and quenched by EDTA. The elastic constant of samples with 12.5 ¿¿¿ 75% of bonds split was then obtained via Brillouin Scattering, an optical technique that measures acoustic speeds in a non-destructive manner. These data will be used as a model for the expected effect of cancerous cells on the ECM. I will create more collagen samples and use cancer cells to split the molecular bonds in a similar manner to the collagenase, then measure the elastic constants of those samples. The LAMMPS Molecular Dynamics Simulator is being used to create a computer simulation of the experiments. The results of this project will provide insight into the effects of cancer on the surrounding matrix, which can show how a cancer metastasizes throughout the body.