Stress through elastic tissue

The determination of forces and stresses acting at the cellular level in other ECMs is more complicated. In other ECMs, stresses and forces are transferred to cells through collagen, elastic fiber, and smooth muscle networks in a more complex fashion than occurs in tendon. In order to calculate the stresses and forces that occur at the cellular level we must gain new insight into how the components are connected and how the cells are attached. Until this is accomplished we can only guess at the cellular loads in each of these tissues. 

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