Generation and analysis of biosensors to measure mechanical forces within cells

Methods Mol Biol. 2013:1066:169-84. doi: 10.1007/978-1-62703-604-7_15.

Abstract

The inability to measure mechanical forces within cells has been limiting our understanding of how mechanical information is processed on the molecular level. In this chapter, we describe a method that allows the analysis of force propagation across distinct proteins within living cells using Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET)-based biosensors.

MeSH terms

  • Biosensing Techniques / methods*
  • Cells, Cultured
  • DNA, Complementary / genetics
  • Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer / methods*
  • Humans
  • Mechanotransduction, Cellular
  • Oligonucleotides / genetics
  • Stress, Mechanical*
  • Transfection / methods

Substances

  • DNA, Complementary
  • Oligonucleotides