FIG. 3.

FE simulation of flow-induced junctional stress. (a). Flow velocity field in the channel and the resultant stress distribution over the cell surface. Cell size Ø15 μm, contact size Ø10 μm, channel width 40 μm, and height 50 μm. (b). Flow-induced stress is concentrated along the junction ring, rather than on the cell body. (c). Viscosity drag force, when transduced onto the junction, was decomposed into horizontal shear force and vertical compression or stretching forces. The stretching/compression force are estimated to be twice as strong as the shearing force.