High-resolution probing of cellular force transmission

D. Mizuno; R. Bacabac; C. Tardin; D. Head; C.F. Schmidt

doi:10.1103/PhysRevLett.102.168102

High-resolution probing of cellular force transmission

D. Mizuno, R. Bacabac, C. Tardin, D. Head, C.F. Schmidt

Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article › Academic › peer-review

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	Undefined/Unknown
Pages (from-to)	168102
Journal	Physical review letters
Volume	102
Issue number	16
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.102.168102
Publication status	Published - 2009

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title = "High-resolution probing of cellular force transmission",

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.",

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AU - Bacabac, R.

AU - Tardin, C.

AU - Head, D.

AU - Schmidt, C.F.

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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.

U2 - 10.1103/PhysRevLett.102.168102

DO - 10.1103/PhysRevLett.102.168102

M3 - Article

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JO - Physical review letters

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