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| Author(s): |
Marcel Philippi Dorta
Total Authors: 1
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| Document type: | Master's Dissertation |
| Press: | São Paulo. |
| Institution: | Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Instituto de Física (IF/SBI) |
| Defense date: | 2014-09-05 |
| Examining board members: |
Adriano Mesquita Alencar;
Alexandre da Costa Pereira;
Elisabeth Mateus Yoshimura
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| Advisor: | Adriano Mesquita Alencar |
| Abstract | |
All living organisms share a unique characteristic in their structural composition, the cell. In the human body, vascular smooth muscle cells are fundamental for the ideal functioning of the arterial vessels. The main function of these cells is to contract and regulate these vessels caliber, as well as the blood pressure and flow distribution of blood. Due to the exposed above, mechanical alterations suffered by these cells cause structural modifications in vessels, which may lead to hypertension, vasospasm and atherosclerosis. The main objective of our research was to develop a new framework of image analysis for vessel cells in order to characterize their structural properties. In our framework we analyzed structural parameters of vascular smooth muscle cells from different arterial sites, with actin fibers labeled with fluorescent markers, obtained by confocal microscopy. These parameters are: the actin fibers alignment index of the image, the length distribution of these fibers and their fractal dimension. We presented that with these parameters we are able to quantitatively compare cells in different arterial sites as well as correlate these parameters with their mechanical properties. (AU) | |
| FAPESP's process: | 12/07059-8 - Physical Properties that Trigger Mechanical Changes in Livin Cells |
| Grantee: | Marcel Philippi Dorta |
| Support Opportunities: | Scholarships in Brazil - Master |