Living cells as a biological analog of optical tweezers – a non-invasive microrheology approach

• DOI: 10.1016/j.actbio.2023.04.039
• Publication Date: 2023-05-01T22:38:29Z
• Authors: William Hardiman; Matt Clark; Claire Friel; Alan Huett; Fernando Pérez-Cota; Kerry Setchfield; Amanda J. Wright; Manlio Tassieri
• Keywords: Microrheology; mechanobiology; Stiffening; Biomechanics

Microrheology, the study of fluids on micron length-scales, promises to reveal insights into cellular biology, including mechanical biomarkers disease and interplay between biomechanics function. Here a minimally-invasive passive microrheology technique is applied individual living cells by chemically binding bead surface cell, observing mean squared displacement at timescales ranging from milliseconds 100s seconds. Measurements are repeated over course hours, presented alongside analysis quantify changes in cells' low-frequency elastic modulus, G0′, cell's dynamics time window ∼10−2 s 10 s. An analogy optical trapping allows verification invariant viscosity HeLa S3 under control conditions after cytoskeletal disruption. Stiffening cell observed during rearrangement case, softening when actin cytoskeleton disrupted Latrunculin B. These data correlate with conventional understanding that integrin recruitment triggers rearrangement. This is, our knowledge, first stiffening has been measured focal adhesion maturation, longest which such quantified any means. Here, we present an approach for studying properties live without applying external forces or inserting tracers. Regulation crucial healthy For literature, can non-invasively passively mechanics interactions functionalised surface. Our method monitor maturation sites disrupting cell. We observe response tens minutes binds. reduces deformation rate cytoskeleton, although internal force generation increases. potential applications cell-surface cell-vesicle interactions.