抄録
Bone mass is increased by adequate exercises. This phenomenon has been mainly explained as chemical
reactions of bone cells in the biochemical field. Because the cells can be considered as structural systems
composed of mechanical components of cytoskeletons and focal adhesions in the view of mechanical
dynamics, the mechanical properties of the cells can affect the response of them to the mechanical
stimulation such as the variation of the bone mass to the stimulation. In this study, mechanical properties of
an osteoblast, which is one of bone cells, were measured experimentally. The tensile and viscoelastic
properties of the cell were measured with tensile and creep tests. The tensile load could be obtained with
measuring the deflection of a micropipette, whose spring constant was calibrated after each test. As a result,
the relationship between the tensile load and the elongation of the cell was obtained. In addition to the
tensile test, the increase of the elongation of the cell was measured keeping the tensile load as constant in
the creep test. Using these experimental results, a three-element model of the cell for viscoelasticity was
introduced and the value of each element was identified.
