3-D stress distribution in cultured endothelial cells exposed to shear stress

Fluid flow-structural analysis, i.e. a coupled field analysis, was performed to simulate three dimensional stress distribution in endothelial cells exposed to shear stress. The three-dimensional finite element model was generated on the basis of the cell surface geometry measured by atomic force microscopy. The model consisted of a fluid element and a solid element representing the flow field and the endothelial cells, respectively. Analytical results on stress distribution in the cell showed that high compressive stress appeared both in the upstream side and the downstream side. These results may indicate that the stress distributions in the cells have close correlation with the F-actin distributions.