ABSTRACT
The modeling of cellular mechanics is a challenging task because of the interconnection of mechanical, electrical, and biochemical processes; involvement of different structural cellular components; and multiple timescales. It can involve nonlinear mechanics and thermodynamics, and because of its complexity, it will most likely require the use of computational techniques. Modeling is a powerful tool in the simulation of the processes in cells dealing with different temporal and spatial scales. It is effective in the interpretation and design of experiments, as well as in the prediction of new effects and phenomena. The basis of the modeling of cell mechanics is the relationships between the applied forces and the corresponding strains or velocities. In the modeling of mechanosensitive channels, the channel has several states, and the probability of the channel being open is determined by free energy barriers that depend on the mechanical stimulus.
