Cellular force is important in activities including migration, proliferation and differentiation, which are mediated by interactions between the cell and the ECM. Monitoring these interactions helps to understand how and when mechanical cues play a role in cellular events and underlying mechanisms. However, there are limitations in spatial and temporal resolution of existing cellular force measurement techniques. Particularly challenging is capturing and quantifying dynamic cell force behaviors and heterogeneity among cell populations. There is a need for non-invasive, label-free methods to study cellular mechanics in their native state.
Researchers at Arizona State University have developed a novel microscopy technique that leverages plasmonic scattering to quantitatively map cell forces with unprecedented spatial and temporal resolution. By utilizing a gold-coated sensor chip and advanced imaging technology, this technique offers a non-invasive, label-free method for studying cell-substrate interactions, providing valuable insights into cellular mechanics and behaviors. Proof-of-concept was obtained by measuring cardiomyocyte force evolutions in millisecond resolution with cell force responses tracked over 30 minutes following stimulation.
This technology represents a groundbreaking technique for label-free, high-resolution mapping of cellular force dynamics and offer deeper insights into cell force evolution.
Potential Applications
- Biomedical research focusing on cell migration, proliferation and differentiation
- Drug development
- Cellular biomechanics – provides insights into cell force evolution and cellular responses to external stimuli
Benefits and Advantages
- High spatial and temporal resolution for detailed imaging of cell forces
- Non-invasive and label-free, preserving natural cell conditions
- Is compatible with fluorescent labels if further confirmation is needed
- High signal-to-noise ratio, enabling clear visualization of dynamic processes
- Compatibility with long-term studies, observing native behaviors, and integration with other experimental setups
- Ease of use and high performance for cell force measurements
- Can provide axial localization accuracy as low as 1 nm
- The gold chip can be replaced with a glass chip for conducting experiments in total internal reflection mode
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