Versatile and High-throughput Force Measurement Platform for Dorsal Cell Mechanics

Sci Rep. 2019 Sep 16;9(1):13286. doi: 10.1038/s41598-019-49592-1.

Abstract

We present a high-throughput microfluidics technique facilitating in situ measurements of cell mechanics parameters at the dorsal side of the cell, including molecular binding strengths, local traction forces, and viscoelastic properties. By adjusting the flow rate, the force magnitude exerted on the cell can be modulated ranging from ~14 pN to 2 nN to perturb various force-dependent processees in cells. Time-lapse images were acquired to record events due to such perturbation. The values of various mechanical parameters are subsequently obtained by single particle tracking. Up to 50 events can be measured simultaneously in a single experiment. Integrating the microfluidic techniques with the analytic framework established in computational fluid dynamics, our method is physiologically relevant, reliable, economic and efficient.

MeSH terms

  • B7-1 Antigen / metabolism
  • B7-2 Antigen / metabolism
  • Breast Neoplasms / physiopathology*
  • CTLA-4 Antigen / metabolism
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Physiological Phenomena / physiology*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Hydrodynamics
  • Lab-On-A-Chip Devices
  • Mechanical Phenomena*
  • Microfluidics / methods*
  • Osteosarcoma / physiopathology*
  • Stress, Mechanical

Substances

  • B7-1 Antigen
  • B7-2 Antigen
  • CD80 protein, human
  • CD86 protein, human
  • CTLA-4 Antigen
  • CTLA4 protein, human