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Updated: May 9, 2026

Direct Force Measurements of Subcellular Mechanics in Confinement using Optical Tweezers
Published on: August 31, 2021
Influence of nucleus deformability on cell entry into cylindrical structures
C Giverso1, A Grillo, L Preziosi
1Department of Mathematical Sciences, Politecnico di Torino, Corso Duca degli Abruzzi 24, 10129 , Torino, Italy, chiara.giverso@polito.it.
Abstract:
The mechanical properties of cell nuclei have been demonstrated to play a fundamental role in cell movement across extracellular networks and micro-channels. In this work, we focus on a mathematical description of a cell entering a cylindrical channel composed of extracellular matrix. An energetic approach is derived in order to obtain a necessary condition for which cells enter cylindrical structures. The nucleus of the cell is treated either (i) as an elastic membrane surrounding a liquid droplet or (ii) as an incompressible elastic material with Neo-Hookean constitutive equation. The results obtained highlight the importance of the interplay between mechanical deformability of the nucleus and the capability of the cell to establish adhesive bonds and generate active forces in the cytoskeleton due to myosin action.
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