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Measuring the Mechanical Properties of Living Cells Using Atomic Force Microscopy
Published on: June 27, 2013
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The Piconewton Force Awakens: Quantifying Mechanics in Cells
Andrea Freikamp1, Anna-Lena Cost1, Carsten Grashoff1
1Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry, Group of Molecular Mechanotransduction, Martinsried D-82152, Germany.
Trends in Cell Biology
|August 22, 2016
Summary
Genetically encoded tension sensors now enable piconewton-sensitive mechanical analysis in cells. These Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET)-based tools provide insights into cellular force transduction but require further development for a complete molecular understanding.
Area of Science:
- Biophysics
- Cell Biology
- Molecular Mechanobiology
Background:
- Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET)-based tension sensors are a novel microscopy technique.
- These sensors allow for piconewton (pN) level sensitivity in analyzing mechanical processes within cells.
Purpose of the Study:
- To introduce the working principle of FRET-based tension sensors.
- To discuss the application of these sensors in quantitative analysis of intracellular force transduction.
- To highlight the potential and limitations of genetically encoded tension sensors in mechanobiology.
Main Methods:
- Development and calibration of FRET-based tension sensors.
- Application of sensors to study mechanical forces in cell-matrix adhesions, cell-cell junctions, and the cell cortex.
- Quantitative microscopy to analyze force transduction mechanisms.
Main Results:
- Demonstrated the utility of FRET-based tension sensors for piconewton-sensitive mechanical analysis in live cells.
- Provided quantitative insights into force transduction at various cellular adhesion sites.
- Identified current limitations of existing tension sensor technology.
Conclusions:
- Genetically encoded tension sensors are powerful tools for studying mechanobiological processes.
- Further technical advancements are necessary to achieve a comprehensive molecular understanding of cellular mechanics.
- FRET-based tension sensing holds significant promise for future research in cell and tissue biology.
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