Abstract
Cells actively probe mechanical properties of their environment by exerting internally generated forces. The response they encounter profoundly affects their behavior. Here we measure in a simple geometry the forces a cell exerts suspended by two optical traps. Our assay quantifies both the overall force and the fraction of that force transmitted to the environment. Mimicking environments of varying stiffness by adjusting the strength of the traps, we found that the force transmission is highly dependent on external compliance. This suggests a calibration mechanism for cellular mechanosensing.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | 168102 |
| Journal | Physical Review Letters |
| Volume | 102 |
| Issue number | 16 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Apr 21 2009 |
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All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes
- Physics and Astronomy(all)
Cite this
High-resolution probing of cellular force transmission. / Mizuno, Daisuke; Bacabac, Rommel; Tardin, Catherine; Head, David; Schmidt, Christoph F.
In: Physical Review Letters, Vol. 102, No. 16, 168102, 21.04.2009.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - High-resolution probing of cellular force transmission
AU - Mizuno, Daisuke
AU - Bacabac, Rommel
AU - Tardin, Catherine
AU - Head, David
AU - Schmidt, Christoph F.
PY - 2009/4/21
Y1 - 2009/4/21
N2 - Cells actively probe mechanical properties of their environment by exerting internally generated forces. The response they encounter profoundly affects their behavior. Here we measure in a simple geometry the forces a cell exerts suspended by two optical traps. Our assay quantifies both the overall force and the fraction of that force transmitted to the environment. Mimicking environments of varying stiffness by adjusting the strength of the traps, we found that the force transmission is highly dependent on external compliance. This suggests a calibration mechanism for cellular mechanosensing.
AB - Cells actively probe mechanical properties of their environment by exerting internally generated forces. The response they encounter profoundly affects their behavior. Here we measure in a simple geometry the forces a cell exerts suspended by two optical traps. Our assay quantifies both the overall force and the fraction of that force transmitted to the environment. Mimicking environments of varying stiffness by adjusting the strength of the traps, we found that the force transmission is highly dependent on external compliance. This suggests a calibration mechanism for cellular mechanosensing.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=67650489044&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=67650489044&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1103/PhysRevLett.102.168102
DO - 10.1103/PhysRevLett.102.168102
M3 - Article
C2 - 19518758
AN - SCOPUS:67650489044
VL - 102
JO - Physical Review Letters
JF - Physical Review Letters
SN - 0031-9007
IS - 16
M1 - 168102
ER -