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High-Throughput Assessment of Cellular Mechanical Properties
Eric M Darling1,2,3,4, Dino Di Carlo5,6,7
1Center for Biomedical Engineering.
Annual Review of Biomedical Engineering
|July 22, 2015
Summary
New microtechnologies allow for rapid mechanical testing of cells, moving beyond molecular biomarkers. This mechanophenotyping promises advancements in diagnosing diseases like cancer and in regenerative medicine applications.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Cell Biology
- Biophysics
Background:
- Traditional cell analysis relies on molecular biomarkers.
- Emerging microtechnologies enable high-throughput evaluation of cell mechanical properties.
- Understanding cell mechanics is crucial for various biomedical applications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the relationship between cell mechanical characteristics and molecular/architectural changes.
- To describe how these mechanical changes evolve with cell state and disease.
- To propose biomedical applications facilitated by high-throughput mechanical testing.
Main Methods:
- Review of current understanding of cell mechanics.
- Discussion of microtechnologies for cell mechanical property evaluation.
- Exploration of techniques for rapid mechanophenotyping.
Main Results:
- Cell mechanical properties correlate with molecular and architectural states.
- Changes in cell mechanics are indicative of cell-state transitions and disease processes.
- High-throughput mechanical testing enables new diagnostic and therapeutic strategies.
Conclusions:
- Mechanophenotyping, enabled by microtechnologies, is poised to become a routine biomedical tool.
- Applications include cancer diagnostics, immune monitoring, and regenerative medicine.
- Future directions involve advanced mechanical assessment and cell state engineering.
