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Force mapping in epithelial cell migration.

Olivia du Roure1, Alexandre Saez, Axel Buguin

  • 1Laboratoire de Biorhéologie et d'Hydrodynamique Physico-Chimique, Unité Mixte de Recherche Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique 7057, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique FR2438, Université Paris, 75251 Paris Cedex 05, France.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
|February 8, 2005
PubMed
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Epithelial cells exert dynamic traction forces, measured using microfabricated pillars. Collective cell behavior in epithelia generates stronger forces than isolated cells, particularly at the monolayer edge.

Area of Science:

  • Cellular mechanics
  • Biophysics
  • Epithelial biology

Background:

  • Understanding cellular forces is crucial for tissue development and disease.
  • Epithelial cells play key roles in tissue structure and function.
  • Quantifying cell-substrate interactions provides insights into cell migration and tissue dynamics.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To measure dynamic traction forces exerted by epithelial cells on a substrate.
  • To correlate cellular mechanical activity with actin localization.
  • To investigate the influence of collective behavior on force generation in epithelial monolayers.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized a high-density array of elastomeric microfabricated pillars as a force sensor.
  • Measured pillar bending to deduce traction forces induced by cell migration.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Employed multiple-particle tracking for real-time estimation of cellular mechanical activity with high spatial resolution.
  • Correlated force measurements with actin localization using fluorescence microscopy.
  • Used differentiated Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) epithelial cells.

    • Main Results:

    • Localized maximal traction forces at the edge of epithelial monolayers.
    • Demonstrated that hepatocyte growth factor promotes cell motility and scattering activity in MDCK cells.
    • Observed significantly higher maximal-traction stresses at the edge of a monolayer compared to isolated cells.
    • Indicated that collective cell behavior contributes to increased force generation.

    Conclusions:

    • Epithelial cell assemblies exert significant dynamic traction forces.
    • Collective behavior in epithelial monolayers leads to enhanced force generation at the monolayer edge.
    • The developed method allows for high-resolution measurement of cellular mechanical activity.