Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Stall force measurement of the kinesin-3 motor KIF1A using a programmable DNA origami nanospring.

eLife·2026
Same author

A minimal vertex model explains how the amnioserosa avoids fluidization during <i>Drosophila</i> dorsal closure.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·2025
Same author

Nonthermal fluctuations accelerate biomolecular motors.

Biophysical reviews·2024
Same author

Minimal vertex model explains how the amnioserosa avoids fluidization during <i>Drosophila</i> dorsal closure.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2024
Same author

Measuring fluctuating dynamics of sparsely crosslinked actin gels with dual-feedback nonlinear microrheology.

Physical review. E·2023
Same author

Nucleotide-free structures of KIF20A illuminate atypical mechanochemistry in this kinesin-6.

Open biology·2023

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Feb 21, 2026

Longitudinal Measurement of Extracellular Matrix Rigidity in 3D Tumor Models Using Particle-tracking Microrheology
11:11

Longitudinal Measurement of Extracellular Matrix Rigidity in 3D Tumor Models Using Particle-tracking Microrheology

Published on: June 10, 2014

12.1K

Feedback-tracking microrheology in living cells.

Kenji Nishizawa1, Marcel Bremerich1, Heev Ayade1

  • 1Department of Physics, Graduate School of Sciences, Kyushu University, 744 Motooka, Nishi-ku, Fukuoka 819-0395, Japan.

Science Advances
|October 5, 2017
PubMed
Summary

Living cells are active materials. Researchers studied cell mechanics using microrheology, revealing distinct viscoelastic and glassy behaviors in fibroblasts and epithelial cells, respectively.

More Related Videos

In Situ Mapping of the Mechanical Properties of Biofilms by Particle-tracking Microrheology
12:58

In Situ Mapping of the Mechanical Properties of Biofilms by Particle-tracking Microrheology

Published on: December 4, 2015

10.3K
Combining Microfluidics and Microrheology to Determine Rheological Properties of Soft Matter during Repeated Phase Transitions
11:38

Combining Microfluidics and Microrheology to Determine Rheological Properties of Soft Matter during Repeated Phase Transitions

Published on: April 19, 2018

8.5K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Feb 21, 2026

Longitudinal Measurement of Extracellular Matrix Rigidity in 3D Tumor Models Using Particle-tracking Microrheology
11:11

Longitudinal Measurement of Extracellular Matrix Rigidity in 3D Tumor Models Using Particle-tracking Microrheology

Published on: June 10, 2014

12.1K
In Situ Mapping of the Mechanical Properties of Biofilms by Particle-tracking Microrheology
12:58

In Situ Mapping of the Mechanical Properties of Biofilms by Particle-tracking Microrheology

Published on: December 4, 2015

10.3K
Combining Microfluidics and Microrheology to Determine Rheological Properties of Soft Matter during Repeated Phase Transitions
11:38

Combining Microfluidics and Microrheology to Determine Rheological Properties of Soft Matter during Repeated Phase Transitions

Published on: April 19, 2018

8.5K

Area of Science:

  • Cellular biophysics
  • Active matter physics
  • Soft matter physics

Background:

  • Living cells are active materials where metabolism drives internal forces and self-organization.
  • Understanding cell mechanics is complex due to material heterogeneity and internally generated forces.
  • The fluctuation-dissipation theorem (FDT) typically describes equilibrium systems.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To analyze the out-of-equilibrium mechanics of living cells.
  • To investigate the interplay between material properties and nonthermal force fluctuations.
  • To quantify cellular responses using adapted FDT.

Main Methods:

  • Simultaneous active and passive microrheology using laser interferometry and optical trapping.
  • Tracking microscopic probes in cells with vigorous cytoplasmic fluctuations using 3D feedback.
  • Developing a theory adapting FDT for out-of-equilibrium systems with positional feedback.

Main Results:

  • Observed polymer network viscoelastic response in fibroblasts (G* ∝ (-iω)3/4).
  • Found glassy mechanics in epithelial cells (G* ∝ (-iω)1/2), attributed to cytosol dynamics.
  • Quantified violations of FDT, indicating nonthermal force fluctuations.

Conclusions:

  • Living cells exhibit distinct mechanical behaviors (viscoelastic vs. glassy) depending on their structure.
  • The glassy state in cells differs from classical glasses and is unique to active materials.
  • Cellular mechanics are governed by a combination of material properties and active, nonthermal fluctuations.