Mapping the Mechanome of Live Stem Cells Using a Novel Method to Measure Local Strain Fields In Situ at the Fluid-Cell Interface

• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0043601
• Publication Date: 2012-09-10T17:08:05Z
• Authors: Min Jae Song; Susann M. Brady-K...; Sara H. McBride; Polly Phillips-Mason; David Dean; Melissa L. Knothe...
• Keywords: Live cell imaging

During mesenchymal condensation, the initial step of skeletogenesis, transduction minute mechanical forces to nucleus is associated with up or down-regulation genes, ultimately resulting in formation skeletal template and appropriate cell lineage commitment. The summation these biophysical cues affects cell's shape fate. Here, we predict measure surface strain, live stem cells, response controlled delivery stresses, providing a platform direct short-term structure - function relationships long-term fate decisions. We local strains on surfaces using fluorescent microbeads coated Concanavalin A. 4-Dimensional (x,y,z,t) displacements bound beads are measured as confocal microscopy image reconstruction. Similarly, micro-particle velocimetry (μ-piv) used track flow fields microspheres. velocity gradient calculate stress imparted by fluid drag at cell. compare strain those predicted computationally parametric estimates elastic shear modulus. Finally, cross-correlating data measures gene transcription marking commitment enables us create maps, for cells situ. studies show significant correlations between method presented here provides novel means probe mechanome, enabling mechanistic role mechanics it unfolds.