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Related Concept Videos

Mechanical Protein Functions01:58

Mechanical Protein Functions

Proteins perform many mechanical functions in a cell. These proteins can be classified into two general categories- proteins that generate mechanical forces and proteins that are subjected to mechanical forces. Proteins providing mechanical support to the structure of the cell, such as keratin, are subjected to mechanical force, whereas proteins involved in cell movement and transport of molecules across cell membranes, such as an ion pump, are examples of generating mechanical force. 
Generation of Action Potential in Skeletal Muscles01:24

Generation of Action Potential in Skeletal Muscles

Every cell in the body maintains a membrane potential due to an uneven distribution of positive and negative charges across its plasma membrane. The membrane potential is measured in millivolts and quantifies the difference in charge across the membrane.
Like neurons, muscle cells are also regarded as excitable due to their capacity to change in response to stimuli, primarily due to voltage-gated ion channels embedded in their plasma membranes, which get activated by alterations in the cell's...
Cell-matrix's Response to Mechanical Forces01:13

Cell-matrix's Response to Mechanical Forces

In animal cells, the extracellular matrix allows cells within tissues to withstand external stresses and transmits signals from the outside of the cell to the inside. The extracellular matrix is extensive, and its composition varies between different types of tissues. For example, the reticular fibers and ground substance make up the ECM in loose connective tissue, while collagen and bone minerals make up the ECM of bone tissue. 
Anchoring junctions mechanically attach a cell to the...
Role of Myosin in Cell Migration01:18

Role of Myosin in Cell Migration

Myosins are multimeric motor proteins involved in various cellular processes such as migration, adhesion, and proliferation. Myosin II is the most common type in animal cells, which binds and cross-links actin filaments.
Myosin II  is a hexamer comprising two heavy chains with globular heads and coiled-coil tails, two regulatory light chains, and two essential light chains. The ATPase sites on the myosin heads hydrolyze ATP, and the released phosphate generates the force for contraction. It is...
Actin Polymerization and Cell Motility01:13

Actin Polymerization and Cell Motility

Actin is a family of globular proteins that are highly abundant in eukaryotic cells. It makes up approximately 1-5% of total cell protein concentration. Actin monomers polymerize to form a complex network of polarized filaments, the actin cytoskeleton, that plays a crucial role in many cellular processes, including cell motility, division, endocytosis, and metastasis of cancer cells.
Actin cytoskeleton dynamics can produce pushing, pulling, and resistance forces that help the cell to migrate.
The Role of Actin and Myosin in Non-muscle Cells01:10

The Role of Actin and Myosin in Non-muscle Cells

Actin and myosin or actomyosin filaments also play a significant role in cells other than those involved in muscle contraction (which occurs within the sarcomere of muscle cells). The mechanism of non-muscle cell contractile bundles was first observed in Dictyostelium and Acanthamoeba. In non-muscle cells, two bundles are commonly found: stress fibers and actomyosin adherence belts. These contractile bundles are smaller and less organized than the ones found in muscle cells. They  are held...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 11, 2026

Protrusion Force Microscopy: A Method to Quantify Forces Developed by Cell Protrusions
06:37

Protrusion Force Microscopy: A Method to Quantify Forces Developed by Cell Protrusions

Published on: June 16, 2018

Force propagation and force generation in cells.

Oliver Jonas1, Claus Duschl

  • 1Fraunhofer Institute for Biomedical Engineering, Potsdam-Golm, Germany.

Cytoskeleton (Hoboken, N.J.)
|July 8, 2010
PubMed
Summary

This study reveals how cell structures generate and transmit forces, highlighting the cytoskeleton

Area of Science:

  • Cellular mechanics
  • Biophysics
  • Cytoskeletal dynamics

Background:

  • Understanding force generation and propagation in the cell's cytoskeleton (CSK) is crucial for deciphering molecular signaling pathways.
  • The CSK's dynamic processes are intrinsically linked to cellular functions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To develop a novel integrated approach for measuring cell elasticity, transcellular force propagation, and cellular force generation.
  • To comprehensively characterize the dynamic and mechanical properties of the CSK under force loading.

Main Methods:

  • Combined Scanning Force Microscopy (SFM) and Total Internal Reflection Fluorescence (TIRF) microscopy.
  • Applied controlled loading schemes to the apical cell membrane and imaged basal membrane topography simultaneously.

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Traction Force Microscopy to Study B Lymphocyte Activation

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Measuring the Mechanical Properties of Living Cells Using Atomic Force Microscopy
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Measuring the Mechanical Properties of Living Cells Using Atomic Force Microscopy

Published on: June 27, 2013

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 11, 2026

Protrusion Force Microscopy: A Method to Quantify Forces Developed by Cell Protrusions
06:37

Protrusion Force Microscopy: A Method to Quantify Forces Developed by Cell Protrusions

Published on: June 16, 2018

Traction Force Microscopy to Study B Lymphocyte Activation
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Traction Force Microscopy to Study B Lymphocyte Activation

Published on: July 23, 2020

Measuring the Mechanical Properties of Living Cells Using Atomic Force Microscopy
08:41

Measuring the Mechanical Properties of Living Cells Using Atomic Force Microscopy

Published on: June 27, 2013

  • Interpreted cytoskeletal imprints on the basal membrane as indicators of force propagation.

    • Main Results:

    • Demonstrated force propagation through the cytoplasm, supporting the tensegrity model.
    • Confirmed the actin network's critical role in cell stiffness and force transduction.
    • Found that both actin and microtubule networks are essential for cellular work production.
    • Provided the first direct measurement of cellular mechanical power output (two femtowatts) under compression.

    Conclusions:

    • The developed SFM-TIRF approach offers a marker-free method to study CSK mechanics.
    • Findings support the tensegrity model of cellular mechanics.
    • The actin and microtubule networks are indispensable for the cell's ability to perform mechanical work.