Calcium alterations in mechanically injured neural-like cells

For many years investigators have been studying the effects of traumatic brain injury (TBI) on the brain as a whole. However, the cellular responses to TBI are still not fully understood and thus limit the efficiency of creating effective therapies. We simulated TBI at the microscopic level by applying a known mechanical stretch to neural like cells grown on a silicone membrane. It was found that the intracellular calcium concentration [Ca²⁺]_i is altered as a result of this stretch at strain rates greater than a specific threshold level. Upon strain, the [Ca²⁺]_i rises to a peak value and then gradually recovers to a certain extent. The amount of [Ca ²⁺]_i increase and recovery is proportional to the strain magnitude to which the silicone membrane is subjected