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Updated: Feb 17, 2026

DNA Tension Probes to Map the Transient Piconewton Receptor Forces by Immune Cells

DNA Tension Probes to Map the Transient Piconewton Receptor Forces by Immune Cells

Published on: March 20, 2021

Visualizing Intercellular Tensile Forces by DNA-Based Membrane Molecular Probes.

Bin Zhao¹, Casey O'Brien¹, Aruni P K K Karunanayake Mudiyanselage¹

¹Department of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts , Amherst, Massachusetts 01003, United States.

Journal of the American Chemical Society

|December 7, 2017

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Researchers developed novel DNA tension probes to visualize forces between cells. These probes attach to cell membranes and light up when stretched, enabling measurement of cell-cell junction forces.

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Area of Science:

Cell biology
Biophysics
Biotechnology

Background:

Mechanical forces are crucial for collective cell behaviors like migration and differentiation.
Measuring forces at cell-cell junctions is technically challenging.
Existing methods primarily focus on cell-matrix interactions.

Purpose of the Study:

To develop a novel method for visualizing and quantifying tensile forces at cell-cell junctions.
To create a tool for studying intercellular mechanical interactions.

Main Methods:

Construction of lipid-modified membrane DNA tension probes.
Self-assembly of probes onto cell membranes.
Utilizing fluorescence microscopy to detect probe unfolding and increased intensity due to tensile forces.

Main Results:

The developed probes efficiently and stably self-assemble on cell membranes.
Probe unfolding directly correlates with experienced tensile forces at cell junctions.
A significant increase in fluorescence intensity indicates the presence of intercellular tensile forces.

Conclusions:

The novel membrane DNA tension probes offer a reliable method for measuring intercellular tensile forces.
These probes are compatible with standard fluorescence microscopes, making them broadly applicable.
The technology facilitates the study of mechanical forces in collective cell behaviors.