Mechanical Profiling by AFM Enables Real-Time Readout of Endothelial Cell State

Area of Science:

• Biophysics
• Cell Biology
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Atomic force microscopy (AFM) offers high-resolution mechanical property mapping of cells.
• The potential of AFM for monitoring diverse cellular mechanical states is underexplored.

Purpose of the Study:

• To map the mechanical state progression of endothelial cells (ECs) under various physiological and stress conditions using AFM.
• To correlate mechanical signatures with cytoskeletal organization and cellular viability.

Main Methods:

• Utilized AFM to quantitatively map the mechanical properties and topographical changes of ECs.
• Analyzed cytoskeletal architecture and coherency through high-resolution AFM imaging.

Main Results:

• Identified distinct AFM-based mechanical signatures for different EC states: stiffening during division, softening under stress (e.g., inflammation), and collapse with compromised cytoskeleton.
• Demonstrated real-time prediction of cellular viability and functional state by simultaneously tracking mechanical and topographical changes.

Conclusions:

• AFM provides a powerful tool for real-time assessment of endothelial cell mechanical states in vitro.
• Findings have implications for understanding endothelial dysfunction in vascular diseases and advancing tissue engineering tools.