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Tracking Neutrophil Intraluminal Crawling, Transendothelial Migration and Chemotaxis in Tissue by Intravital Video Microscopy
Published on: September 24, 2011
Locomotion forces generated by a polymorphonuclear leukocyte
S Usami1, S L Wung, B A Skierczynski
1Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC.
Biophysical Journal
|December 1, 1992
Summary
Researchers measured cell locomotion force using a micropipette system. Cell velocity decreased linearly with counter-pressure, stopping at 17 cm H2O, indicating a force of 0.003 dyn.
Area of Science:
- Cellular Biology
- Biophysics
- Mechanobiology
Background:
- Quantifying cellular forces during active movement is challenging.
- Understanding cell locomotion mechanics is crucial for various biological processes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To directly measure the physical forces generated by cells during active migration.
- To investigate the relationship between applied counter-pressure and cell velocity.
Main Methods:
- A specialized micropipette system was developed to observe and manipulate cell movement.
- Counter-pressure was applied to oppose chemotactic cell migration, allowing for force measurement.
Main Results:
- Cell velocity was measured at an average of 0.33 microns/s without counter-pressure.
- Increasing counter-pressure linearly decreased cell velocity.
- Cell locomotion ceased at 17 cm H2O counter-pressure, corresponding to 0.003 dyn.
Conclusions:
- The study provides a direct method for measuring cellular locomotion force.
- Cellular movement force is quantifiable and directly related to applied opposing pressure.
- Maximum cellular work rate was estimated at 2.5 x 10(-8) erg/s.
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