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Shape-Modified Ultrathin Glass Sheet Cantilever for Precise Single Cell Stiffness Measurement
Yapeng Yuan1,2, Chaoyang Lyu3, Nobutoshi Ota2
1Institute of Deep-Sea Science and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya 572-0000, China.
ACS Measurement Science Au
|June 25, 2025
Summary
Researchers developed a novel ultrathin glass sheet (UTGS)-based cantilever sensor for highly sensitive, label-free measurements. This flexible sensor simplifies fabrication and accurately measures single-cell mechanical properties like stiffness.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Biophysics
- Sensor Technology
Background:
- Microcantilever sensors are vital for label-free physical, chemical, and biological measurements.
- Traditional microcantilevers suffer from complex fabrication, difficult operation, and low sensitivity.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a novel, highly sensitive, and easily fabricated cantilever sensor.
- To demonstrate its application in measuring single-cell mechanical properties.
Main Methods:
- Fabrication of a shape-modified, 10 μm ultrathin glass sheet (UTGS)-based cantilever.
- Integration of the UTGS cantilever with a strain gauge sensor.
- Application in measuring the mechanical properties (stiffness) of single cells, including Dictyostelium.
Main Results:
- The UTGS cantilever achieved high sensitivity (190 nN/μm).
- Demonstrated a strong linear correlation between voltage change and applied force/displacement.
- Enabled real-time optical observation during cell stiffness measurements.
Conclusions:
- The proposed UTGS-based cantilever offers superior ease of fabrication and performance compared to traditional methods.
- Its high sensitivity and optical transparency make it ideal for precise single-cell mechanical analysis.
