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Chapman M, Rajagopal V, Stewart A, Collins DJ. Critical review of single-cell mechanotyping approaches for biomedical applications. LAB ON A CHIP 2024; 24:3036-3063. [PMID: 38804123 DOI: 10.1039/d3lc00978e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/29/2024]
Abstract
Accurate mechanical measurements of cells has the potential to improve diagnostics, therapeutics and advance understanding of disease mechanisms, where high-resolution mechanical information can be measured by deforming individual cells. Here we evaluate recently developed techniques for measuring cell-scale stiffness properties; while many such techniques have been developed, much of the work examining single-cell stiffness is impacted by difficulties in standardization and comparability, giving rise to large variations in reported mechanical moduli. We highlight the role of underlying mechanical theories driving this variability, and note opportunities to develop novel mechanotyping devices and theoretical models that facilitate convenient and accurate mechanical characterisation. Moreover, many high-throughput approaches are confounded by factors including cell size, surface friction, natural population heterogeneity and convolution of elastic and viscous contributions to cell deformability. We nevertheless identify key approaches based on deformability cytometry as a promising direction for further development, where both high-throughput and accurate single-cell resolutions can be realized.
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Affiliation(s)
- Max Chapman
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
| | - Vijay Rajagopal
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
| | - Alastair Stewart
- ARC Centre for Personalised Therapeutics Technologies, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
- Department of Biochemistry and Pharmacology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - David J Collins
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
- Graeme Clarke Institute University of Melbourne Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia
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2
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Krawczyk-Wołoszyn K, Roczkowski D, Reich A. Evaluation of Surface Structure and Morphological Phenomena of Caucasian Virgin Hair with Atomic Force Microscopy. MEDICINA (KAUNAS, LITHUANIA) 2024; 60:297. [PMID: 38399584 PMCID: PMC10890343 DOI: 10.3390/medicina60020297] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2024] [Revised: 02/03/2024] [Accepted: 02/07/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024]
Abstract
Background and Objectives: Atomic force microscopy (AFM) as a type of scanning microscopy (SPM), which has a resolution of fractions of a nanometer on the atomic scale, is widely used in materials science. To date, research using AFM in medicine has focused on neurodegenerative diseases, osteoporosis, cancer tumors, cell receptors, proteins and the DNA mismatch repair (MMR) system. Only a few small studies of hair imaging have been conducted, mostly in biotechnology or cosmetology. Thanks to the possibilities offered by AFM imaging, dermatologists can non-invasively assess the condition of hair and its possible disorders. Our goal was to capture images and microscopically analyze morphological changes in the surface of healthy hair. Materials and Methods: In this study, three to five hairs were collected from each person. Each hair was examined at nine locations (0.5; 1.0; 1.5; 2.0; 3.5; 4.5; 5.5; 6.5 and 7.0 cm from the root). At least 4 images (4-10 images) were taken at each of the 9 locations. A total of 496 photos were taken and analyzed. Metric measurements of hair scales, such as apparent length, width and scale step height, were taken. Results: This publication presents the changes occurring in hair during the natural delamination process. In addition, morphoological changes visualized on the surface of healthy hair (pitting, oval indentations, rod-shaped macro-fibrillar elements, globules, scratches, wavy edge) are presented. A quantitative analysis of the structures found was carried out. Conclusions: The findings of this study can be used in further research and work related to the subject of human hair. They can serve as a reference for research on scalp and hair diseases, as well as hair care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karolina Krawczyk-Wołoszyn
- Doctoral School, University of Rzeszow, 35-959 Rzeszów, Poland;
- Department of Dermatology, Institute of Medical Sciences, Medical College of the Rzeszow University, 35-959 Rzeszów, Poland;
| | - Damian Roczkowski
- Department of Dermatology, Institute of Medical Sciences, Medical College of the Rzeszow University, 35-959 Rzeszów, Poland;
| | - Adam Reich
- Department of Dermatology, Institute of Medical Sciences, Medical College of the Rzeszow University, 35-959 Rzeszów, Poland;
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3
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Arce FT, Younger S, Gaber AA, Mascarenhas JB, Rodriguez M, Dudek SM, Garcia JGN. Lamellipodia dynamics and microrheology in endothelial cell paracellular gap closure. Biophys J 2023; 122:4730-4747. [PMID: 37978804 PMCID: PMC10754712 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2023.11.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2023] [Revised: 05/06/2023] [Accepted: 11/16/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Vascular endothelial cells (ECs) form a semipermeable barrier separating vascular contents from the interstitium, thereby regulating the movement of water and molecular solutes across small intercellular gaps, which are continuously forming and closing. Under inflammatory conditions, however, larger EC gaps form resulting in increased vascular leakiness to circulating fluid, proteins, and cells, which results in organ edema and dysfunction responsible for key pathophysiologic findings in numerous inflammatory disorders. In this study, we extend our earlier work examining the biophysical properties of EC gap formation and now address the role of lamellipodia, thin sheet-like membrane projections from the leading edge, in modulating EC spatial-specific contractile properties and gap closure. Micropillars, fabricated by soft lithography, were utilized to form reproducible paracellular gaps in human lung ECs. Using time-lapse imaging via optical microscopy, rates of EC gap closure and motility were measured with and without EC stimulation with the barrier-enhancing sphingolipid, sphingosine-1-phosphate. Peripheral ruffle formation was ubiquitous during gap closure. Kymographs were generated to quantitatively compare the lamellipodia dynamics of sphingosine-1-phosphate-stimulated and -unstimulated ECs. Utilizing atomic force microscopy, we characterized the viscoelastic behavior of EC lamellipodia. Our results indicate decreased stiffness and increased liquid-like behavior of expanding lamellipodia compared with regions away from the cellular edge (lamella and cell body) during EC gap closure, results in sync with the rapid kinetics of protrusion/retraction motion. We hypothesize this dissipative EC behavior during gap closure is linked to actomyosin cytoskeletal rearrangement and decreased cross-linking during lamellipodia expansion. In summary, these studies of the kinetic and mechanical properties of EC lamellipodia and ruffles at gap boundaries yield insights into the mechanisms of vascular barrier restoration and potentially a model system for examining the druggability of lamellipodial protein targets to enhance vascular barrier integrity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fernando Teran Arce
- The Herbert Wertheim UF Scripps Institute for Biomedical Innovation & Technology, University of Florida, Jupiter, Florida.
| | - Scott Younger
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona
| | - Amir A Gaber
- Department of Medicine, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona
| | | | - Marisela Rodriguez
- The Herbert Wertheim UF Scripps Institute for Biomedical Innovation & Technology, University of Florida, Jupiter, Florida; Department of Medicine, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona
| | - Steven M Dudek
- Department of Medicine, The University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Joe G N Garcia
- The Herbert Wertheim UF Scripps Institute for Biomedical Innovation & Technology, University of Florida, Jupiter, Florida.
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4
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Shigemura K, Kuribayashi-Shigetomi K, Tanaka R, Yamasaki H, Okajima T. Mechanical properties of epithelial cells in domes investigated using atomic force microscopy. Front Cell Dev Biol 2023; 11:1245296. [PMID: 38046668 PMCID: PMC10690596 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2023.1245296] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2023] [Accepted: 10/24/2023] [Indexed: 12/05/2023] Open
Abstract
As epithelial cells in vitro reach a highly confluent state, the cells often form a microscale dome-like architecture that encloses a fluid-filled lumen. The domes are stabilized by mechanical stress and luminal pressure. However, the mechanical properties of cells that form epithelial domes remain poorly characterized at the single-cell level. In this study, we used atomic force microscopy (AFM) to measure the mechanical properties of cells forming epithelial domes. AFM showed that the apparent Young's modulus of cells in domes was significantly higher when compared with that in the surrounding monolayer. AFM also showed that the stiffness and tension of cells in domes were positively correlated with the apical cell area, depending on the degree of cell stretching. This correlation disappeared when actin filaments were depolymerized or when the ATPase activity of myosin II was inhibited, which often led to a large fluctuation in dome formation. The results indicated that heterogeneous actomyosin structures organized by stretching single cells played a crucial role in stabilizing dome formation. Our findings provide new insights into the mechanical properties of three-dimensional deformable tissue explored using AFM at the single-cell level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kenta Shigemura
- Graduate School of Information Science and Technology, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | | | - Ryosuke Tanaka
- Graduate School of Information Science and Technology, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Haruka Yamasaki
- Graduate School of Information Science and Technology, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Takaharu Okajima
- Faculty of Information Science and Technology, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
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5
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Pérez-Domínguez S, Kulkarni SG, Pabijan J, Gnanachandran K, Holuigue H, Eroles M, Lorenc E, Berardi M, Antonovaite N, Marini ML, Lopez Alonso J, Redonto-Morata L, Dupres V, Janel S, Acharya S, Otero J, Navajas D, Bielawski K, Schillers H, Lafont F, Rico F, Podestà A, Radmacher M, Lekka M. Reliable, standardized measurements for cell mechanical properties. NANOSCALE 2023; 15:16371-16380. [PMID: 37789717 DOI: 10.1039/d3nr02034g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/05/2023]
Abstract
Atomic force microscopy (AFM) has become indispensable for studying biological and medical samples. More than two decades of experiments have revealed that cancer cells are softer than healthy cells (for measured cells cultured on stiff substrates). The softness or, more precisely, the larger deformability of cancer cells, primarily independent of cancer types, could be used as a sensitive marker of pathological changes. The wide application of biomechanics in clinics would require designing instruments with specific calibration, data collection, and analysis procedures. For these reasons, such development is, at present, still very limited, hampering the clinical exploitation of mechanical measurements. Here, we propose a standardized operational protocol (SOP), developed within the EU ITN network Phys2BioMed, which allows the detection of the biomechanical properties of living cancer cells regardless of the nanoindentation instruments used (AFMs and other indenters) and the laboratory involved in the research. We standardized the cell cultures, AFM calibration, measurements, and data analysis. This effort resulted in a step-by-step SOP for cell cultures, instrument calibration, measurements, and data analysis, leading to the concordance of the results (Young's modulus) measured among the six EU laboratories involved. Our results highlight the importance of the SOP in obtaining a reproducible mechanical characterization of cancer cells and paving the way toward exploiting biomechanics for diagnostic purposes in clinics.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Shruti G Kulkarni
- Institute of Biophysics, University of Bremen, 28359, Bremen, Germany.
| | - Joanna Pabijan
- Department of Biophysical Microstructures, Institute of Nuclear Physics, Polish Academy of Sciences, PL-31342 Kraków, Poland.
| | - Kajangi Gnanachandran
- Department of Biophysical Microstructures, Institute of Nuclear Physics, Polish Academy of Sciences, PL-31342 Kraków, Poland.
| | - Hatice Holuigue
- Department of Physics "Aldo Pontremoli" and CIMAINA, University of Milano, via Celoria 16, 20133 Milano, Italy.
| | - Mar Eroles
- Aix-Marseille Univ., CNRS, INSERM, LAI, Turing Centre for Living Systems, Marseille, France
| | - Ewelina Lorenc
- Department of Physics "Aldo Pontremoli" and CIMAINA, University of Milano, via Celoria 16, 20133 Milano, Italy.
| | - Massimiliano Berardi
- Laserlab, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1081, 1081 HV, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Optics11 Life, Hettenheuvelweg 37-39, 1101 BM, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Nelda Antonovaite
- Optics11 Life, Hettenheuvelweg 37-39, 1101 BM, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Maria Luisa Marini
- Université de Lille, CNRS, INSERM, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, U1019-UMR9017, CIIL-Center for Infection and Immunity of Lille, F-59000 Lille, France
| | - Javier Lopez Alonso
- Université de Lille, CNRS, INSERM, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, U1019-UMR9017, CIIL-Center for Infection and Immunity of Lille, F-59000 Lille, France
| | - Lorena Redonto-Morata
- Université de Lille, CNRS, INSERM, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, U1019-UMR9017, CIIL-Center for Infection and Immunity of Lille, F-59000 Lille, France
| | - Vincent Dupres
- Université de Lille, CNRS, INSERM, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, U1019-UMR9017, CIIL-Center for Infection and Immunity of Lille, F-59000 Lille, France
| | - Sebastien Janel
- Université de Lille, CNRS, INSERM, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, U1019-UMR9017, CIIL-Center for Infection and Immunity of Lille, F-59000 Lille, France
| | - Sovon Acharya
- Institute of Physiology II, University Muenster, Robert-Koch-Str. 27b, 48149 Münster, Germany
| | - Jorge Otero
- Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia and Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- CIBER de Enfermedades Respiratorias, Madrid, Spain
| | - Daniel Navajas
- Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia and Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- CIBER de Enfermedades Respiratorias, Madrid, Spain
| | - Kevin Bielawski
- Optics11 Life, Hettenheuvelweg 37-39, 1101 BM, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Hermann Schillers
- Institute of Physiology II, University Muenster, Robert-Koch-Str. 27b, 48149 Münster, Germany
| | - Frank Lafont
- Université de Lille, CNRS, INSERM, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, U1019-UMR9017, CIIL-Center for Infection and Immunity of Lille, F-59000 Lille, France
| | - Felix Rico
- Aix-Marseille Univ., CNRS, INSERM, LAI, Turing Centre for Living Systems, Marseille, France
| | - Alessandro Podestà
- Department of Physics "Aldo Pontremoli" and CIMAINA, University of Milano, via Celoria 16, 20133 Milano, Italy.
| | - Manfred Radmacher
- Institute of Biophysics, University of Bremen, 28359, Bremen, Germany.
| | - Małgorzata Lekka
- Department of Biophysical Microstructures, Institute of Nuclear Physics, Polish Academy of Sciences, PL-31342 Kraków, Poland.
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6
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Savin N, Erofeev A, Gorelkin P. Analytical Models for Measuring the Mechanical Properties of Yeast. Cells 2023; 12:1946. [PMID: 37566025 PMCID: PMC10417110 DOI: 10.3390/cells12151946] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2023] [Revised: 07/21/2023] [Accepted: 07/26/2023] [Indexed: 08/12/2023] Open
Abstract
The mechanical properties of yeast play an important role in many biological processes, such as cell division and growth, maintenance of internal pressure, and biofilm formation. In addition, the mechanical properties of cells can indicate the degree of damage caused by antifungal drugs, as the mechanical parameters of healthy and damaged cells are different. Over the past decades, atomic force microscopy (AFM) and micromanipulation have become the most widely used methods for evaluating the mechanical characteristics of microorganisms. In this case, the reliability of such an estimate depends on the choice of mathematical model. This review presents various analytical models developed in recent years for studying the mechanical properties of both cells and their individual structures. The main provisions of the applied approaches are described along with their limitations and advantages. Attention is paid to the innovative method of low-invasive nanomechanical mapping with scanning ion-conductance microscopy (SICM), which is currently starting to be successfully used in the discovery of novel drugs acting on the yeast cell wall and plasma membrane.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nikita Savin
- Research Laboratory of Biophysics, National University of Science and Technology MISiS, Moscow 119049, Russia;
| | - Alexander Erofeev
- Research Laboratory of Biophysics, National University of Science and Technology MISiS, Moscow 119049, Russia;
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7
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Kerdegari S, Canepa P, Odino D, Oropesa-Nuñez R, Relini A, Cavalleri O, Canale C. Insights in Cell Biomechanics through Atomic Force Microscopy. MATERIALS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 16:2980. [PMID: 37109816 PMCID: PMC10142950 DOI: 10.3390/ma16082980] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2023] [Revised: 03/27/2023] [Accepted: 04/06/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
We review the advances obtained by using Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM)-based approaches in the field of cell/tissue mechanics and adhesion, comparing the solutions proposed and critically discussing them. AFM offers a wide range of detectable forces with a high force sensitivity, thus allowing a broad class of biological issues to be addressed. Furthermore, it allows for the accurate control of the probe position during the experiments, providing spatially resolved mechanical maps of the biological samples with subcellular resolution. Nowadays, mechanobiology is recognized as a subject of great relevance in biotechnological and biomedical fields. Focusing on the past decade, we discuss the intriguing issues of cellular mechanosensing, i.e., how cells sense and adapt to their mechanical environment. Next, we examine the relationship between cell mechanical properties and pathological states, focusing on cancer and neurodegenerative diseases. We show how AFM has contributed to the characterization of pathological mechanisms and discuss its role in the development of a new class of diagnostic tools that consider cell mechanics as new tumor biomarkers. Finally, we describe the unique ability of AFM to study cell adhesion, working quantitatively and at the single-cell level. Again, we relate cell adhesion experiments to the study of mechanisms directly or secondarily involved in pathologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sajedeh Kerdegari
- Dipartimento di Fisica, Università di Genova, Via Dodecaneso 33, 16146 Genova, Italy; (S.K.); (P.C.); (D.O.); (A.R.)
| | - Paolo Canepa
- Dipartimento di Fisica, Università di Genova, Via Dodecaneso 33, 16146 Genova, Italy; (S.K.); (P.C.); (D.O.); (A.R.)
| | - Davide Odino
- Dipartimento di Fisica, Università di Genova, Via Dodecaneso 33, 16146 Genova, Italy; (S.K.); (P.C.); (D.O.); (A.R.)
| | - Reinier Oropesa-Nuñez
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Uppsala University, Ångströmlaboratoriet, Box 35, SE-751 03 Uppsala, Sweden;
| | - Annalisa Relini
- Dipartimento di Fisica, Università di Genova, Via Dodecaneso 33, 16146 Genova, Italy; (S.K.); (P.C.); (D.O.); (A.R.)
| | - Ornella Cavalleri
- Dipartimento di Fisica, Università di Genova, Via Dodecaneso 33, 16146 Genova, Italy; (S.K.); (P.C.); (D.O.); (A.R.)
| | - Claudio Canale
- Dipartimento di Fisica, Università di Genova, Via Dodecaneso 33, 16146 Genova, Italy; (S.K.); (P.C.); (D.O.); (A.R.)
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8
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Zambito M, Viti F, Bosio AG, Ceccherini I, Florio T, Vassalli M. The Impact of Experimental Conditions on Cell Mechanics as Measured with Nanoindentation. NANOMATERIALS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 13:1190. [PMID: 37049284 PMCID: PMC10097320 DOI: 10.3390/nano13071190] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2023] [Revised: 03/21/2023] [Accepted: 03/22/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
The evaluation of cell elasticity is becoming increasingly significant, since it is now known that it impacts physiological mechanisms, such as stem cell differentiation and embryogenesis, as well as pathological processes, such as cancer invasiveness and endothelial senescence. However, the results of single-cell mechanical measurements vary considerably, not only due to systematic instrumental errors but also due to the dynamic and non-homogenous nature of the sample. In this work, relying on Chiaro nanoindenter (Optics11Life), we characterized in depth the nanoindentation experimental procedure, in order to highlight whether and how experimental conditions could affect measurements of living cell stiffness. We demonstrated that the procedure can be quite insensitive to technical replicates and that several biological conditions, such as cell confluency, starvation and passage, significantly impact the results. Experiments should be designed to maximally avoid inhomogeneous scenarios to avoid divergences in the measured phenotype.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martina Zambito
- Dipartimento Medicina Interna, Sezione di Farmacologia, Università di Genova, viale Benedetto XV 2, 16132 Genova, Italy
| | - Federica Viti
- Institute of Biophysics, National Research Council, Via De Marini 6, 16149 Genova, Italy
| | - Alessia G Bosio
- Dipartimento Medicina Interna, Sezione di Farmacologia, Università di Genova, viale Benedetto XV 2, 16132 Genova, Italy
| | | | - Tullio Florio
- Dipartimento Medicina Interna, Sezione di Farmacologia, Università di Genova, viale Benedetto XV 2, 16132 Genova, Italy
- IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Largo Rosanna Benzi 10, 16132 Genova, Italy
| | - Massimo Vassalli
- James Watt School of Engineering, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK
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9
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Single Hydrogel Particle Mechanics and Dynamics Studied by Combining Capillary Micromechanics with Osmotic Compression. Gels 2023; 9:gels9030194. [PMID: 36975643 PMCID: PMC10048562 DOI: 10.3390/gels9030194] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2022] [Revised: 02/21/2023] [Accepted: 02/24/2023] [Indexed: 03/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Hydrogels can exhibit a remarkably complex response to external stimuli and show rich mechanical behavior. Previous studies of the mechanics of hydrogel particles have generally focused on their static, rather than dynamic, response, as traditional methods for measuring single particle response at the microscopic scale cannot readily measure time-dependent mechanics. Here, we study both the static and the time-dependent response of a single batch of polyacrylamide (PAAm) particles by combining direct contact forces, applied by using Capillary Micromechanics, a method where particles are deformed in a tapered capillary, and osmotic forces are applied by a high molecular weight dextran solution. We found higher values of the static compressive and shear elastic moduli for particles exposed to dextran, as compared to water (KDex≈63 kPa vs. Kwater≈36 kPa, and GDex≈16 kPa vs. Gwater≈7 kPa), which we accounted for, theoretically, as being the result of the increased internal polymer concentration. For the dynamic response, we observed surprising behavior, not readily explained by poroelastic theories. The particles exposed to dextran solutions deformed more slowly under applied external forces than did those suspended in water (τDex≈90 s vs. τwater≈15 s). The theoretical expectation was the opposite. However, we could account for this behaviour by considering the diffusion of dextran molecules in the surrounding solution, which we found to dominate the compression dynamics of our hydrogel particles suspended in dextran solutions.
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10
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Kahle ER, Patel N, Sreenivasappa HB, Marcolongo MS, Han L. Targeting cell-matrix interface mechanobiology by integrating AFM with fluorescence microscopy. PROGRESS IN BIOPHYSICS AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2022; 176:67-81. [PMID: 36055517 PMCID: PMC9691605 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbiomolbio.2022.08.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2022] [Revised: 08/14/2022] [Accepted: 08/18/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Mechanosensing at the interface of a cell and its surrounding microenvironment is an essential driving force of physiological processes. Understanding molecular activities at the cell-matrix interface has the potential to provide novel targets for improving tissue regeneration and early disease intervention. In the past few decades, the advancement of atomic force microscopy (AFM) has offered a unique platform for probing mechanobiology at this crucial microdomain. In this review, we describe key advances under this topic through the use of an integrated system of AFM (as a biomechanical testing tool) with complementary immunofluorescence (IF) imaging (as an in situ navigation system). We first describe the body of work investigating the micromechanics of the pericellular matrix (PCM), the immediate cell micro-niche, in healthy, diseased, and genetically modified tissues, with a focus on articular cartilage. We then summarize the key findings in understanding cellular biomechanics and mechanotransduction, in which, molecular mechanisms governing transmembrane ion channel-mediated mechanosensing, cytoskeleton remodeling, and nucleus remodeling have been studied in various cell and tissue types. Lastly, we provide an overview of major technical advances that have enabled more in-depth studies of mechanobiology, including the integration of AFM with a side-view microscope, multiple optomicroscopy, a fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP) module, and a tensile stretching device. The innovations described here have contributed greatly to advancing the fundamental knowledge of extracellular matrix biomechanics and cell mechanobiology for improved understanding, detection, and intervention of various diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth R Kahle
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Science and Health Systems, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA 19104, United States
| | - Neil Patel
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Science and Health Systems, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA 19104, United States
| | - Harini B Sreenivasappa
- Cell Imaging Center, Office of Research and Innovation, Drexel University, PA 19104, United States
| | - Michele S Marcolongo
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Villanova University, Villanova, PA 19085, United States
| | - Lin Han
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Science and Health Systems, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA 19104, United States.
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11
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Sirotin MA, Romodina MN, Lyubin EV, Soboleva IV, Fedyanin AA. Single-cell all-optical coherence elastography with optical tweezers. BIOMEDICAL OPTICS EXPRESS 2022; 13:14-25. [PMID: 35154850 PMCID: PMC8803033 DOI: 10.1364/boe.444813] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2021] [Revised: 11/19/2021] [Accepted: 11/22/2021] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
The elastic properties of cells are important for many of their functions, however the development of label free noninvasive cellular elastography method is a challenging topic. We present a novel single-cell all-optical coherence elastography method that combines optical tweezers producing mechanical excitation on the cell membrane or organelle and phase-sensitive optical coherence microscopy measuring sample response and determining its mechanical properties. The method allows living cells imaging with a lateral resolution of 0.5 μm and an axial resolution up to 10 nm, making it possible to detect nanometer displacements of the cell organelles and to record the propagation of mechanical wave along the cell membrane in response to optical tweezers excitation. We also demonstrate applicability of the method on single living red blood cells, yeast and cancer cells. The all-optical nature of the method developed makes it a promising and easily applicable tool for studying cellular and subcellular mechanics in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maxim A. Sirotin
- Faculty of Physics, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow 119991, Russia
| | - Maria N. Romodina
- Faculty of Physics, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow 119991, Russia
| | - Evgeny V. Lyubin
- Faculty of Physics, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow 119991, Russia
| | - Irina V. Soboleva
- Faculty of Physics, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow 119991, Russia
- Frumkin Institute of Physical Chemistry and Electrochemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow 119071, Russia
| | - Andrey A. Fedyanin
- Faculty of Physics, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow 119991, Russia
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12
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Loss of NECTIN1 triggers melanoma dissemination upon local IGF1 depletion. Nat Genet 2022; 54:1839-1852. [PMID: 36229674 PMCID: PMC9729115 DOI: 10.1038/s41588-022-01191-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2021] [Accepted: 08/24/2022] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Cancer genetics has uncovered many tumor-suppressor and oncogenic pathways, but few alterations have revealed mechanisms involved in tumor spreading. Here, we examined the role of the third most significant chromosomal deletion in human melanoma that inactivates the adherens junction gene NECTIN1 in 55% of cases. We found that NECTIN1 loss stimulates melanoma cell migration in vitro and spreading in vivo in both zebrafish and human tumors specifically in response to decreased IGF1 signaling. In human melanoma biopsy specimens, adherens junctions were seen exclusively in areas with low IGF1 levels, but not in NECTIN1-deficient tumors. Our study establishes NECTIN1 as a major determinant of melanoma dissemination and uncovers a genetic control of the response to microenvironmental signals.
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13
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Sun SY, Feng XQ. Fluid-solid coupling dynamic model for oscillatory growth of multicellular lumens. J Biomech 2021; 131:110937. [PMID: 34972017 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbiomech.2021.110937] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2021] [Revised: 12/18/2021] [Accepted: 12/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
The development of multicellular lumens involves the interplay of cell proliferation, oscillation, and fluid transport. In this paper, a fluid-solid coupling dynamic model is proposed to investigate the physical mechanisms underlying the oscillatory growth of lumens. On the basis of experimental observations, the periodic oscillation of a lumen is interpreted by the fracturing-healing mechanism of cell-cell contacts, which induces a hydraulic-controlled outward flow switch. This model reproduces the oscillations of lumen sizes, in agreement with the experimental results of Hydra regeneration. It is found that the overall change trend of the lumen volume is determined by the tissue development induced by cell proliferation and the fluid transport induced by the osmotic pressure, while the outward flow due to the fracturing of cell-cell contacts regulates the oscillatory volume and the stress level in an appropriate scope. This work not only deepens our understanding of biomechanical mechanisms under the development of fluid-containing lumens, but also provides a theoretical framework to rationalize the dynamics of lumen-like tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shu-Yi Sun
- Institute of Biomechanics and Medical Engineering, AML, Department of Engineering Mechanics, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Xi-Qiao Feng
- Institute of Biomechanics and Medical Engineering, AML, Department of Engineering Mechanics, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China; State Key Lab of Tribology, Department of Engineering Mechanics, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China.
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14
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Viscoelastic properties of epithelial cells. Biochem Soc Trans 2021; 49:2687-2695. [PMID: 34854895 DOI: 10.1042/bst20210476] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2021] [Revised: 09/16/2021] [Accepted: 10/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Epithelial cells form tight barriers that line both the outer and inner surfaces of organs and cavities and therefore face diverse environmental challenges. The response to these challenges relies on the cells' dynamic viscoelastic properties, playing a pivotal role in many biological processes such as adhesion, growth, differentiation, and motility. Therefore, the cells usually adapt their viscoelastic properties to mirror the environment that determines their fate and vitality. Albeit not a high-throughput method, atomic force microscopy is still among the dominating methods to study the mechanical properties of adherent cells since it offers a broad range of forces from Piconewtons to Micronewtons at biologically significant time scales. Here, some recent work of deformation studies on epithelial cells is reviewed with a focus on viscoelastic models suitable to describe force cycle measurements congruent with the architecture of the actin cytoskeleton. The prominent role of the cortex in the cell's response to external forces is discussed also in the context of isolated cortex extracts on porous surfaces.
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15
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Olubowale O, Biswas S, Azom G, Prather BL, Owoso SD, Rinee KC, Marroquin K, Gates KA, Chambers MB, Xu A, Garno JC. "May the Force Be with You!" Force-Volume Mapping with Atomic Force Microscopy. ACS OMEGA 2021; 6:25860-25875. [PMID: 34660949 PMCID: PMC8515370 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.1c03829] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2021] [Accepted: 08/30/2021] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
Information of the chemical, mechanical, and electrical properties of materials can be obtained using force volume mapping (FVM), a measurement mode of scanning probe microscopy (SPM). Protocols have been developed with FVM for a broad range of materials, including polymers, organic films, inorganic materials, and biological samples. Multiple force measurements are acquired with the FVM mode within a defined 3D volume of the sample to map interactions (i.e., chemical, electrical, or physical) between the probe and the sample. Forces of adhesion, elasticity, stiffness, deformation, chemical binding interactions, viscoelasticity, and electrical properties have all been mapped at the nanoscale with FVM. Subsequently, force maps can be correlated with features of topographic images for identifying certain chemical groups presented at a sample interface. The SPM tip can be coated to investigate-specific reactions; for example, biological interactions can be probed when the tip is coated with biomolecules such as for recognition of ligand-receptor pairs or antigen-antibody interactions. This review highlights the versatility and diverse measurement protocols that have emerged for studies applying FVM for the analysis of material properties at the nanoscale.
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16
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Bergman E, Goldbart R, Traitel T, Amar‐Lewis E, Zorea J, Yegodayev K, Alon I, Rankovic S, Krieger Y, Rousso I, Elkabets M, Kost J. Cell stiffness predicts cancer cell sensitivity to ultrasound as a selective superficial cancer therapy. Bioeng Transl Med 2021; 6:e10226. [PMID: 34589601 PMCID: PMC8459597 DOI: 10.1002/btm2.10226] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/25/2020] [Revised: 04/25/2021] [Accepted: 04/27/2021] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
We hypothesize that the biomechanical properties of cells can predict their viability, with Young's modulus representing the former and cell sensitivity to ultrasound representing the latter. Using atomic force microscopy, we show that the Young's modulus stiffness measure is significantly lower for superficial cancer cells (squamous cell carcinomas and melanoma) compared with noncancerous keratinocyte cells. In vitro findings reveal a significant difference between cancerous and noncancerous cell viability at the four ultrasound energy levels evaluated, with different cell lines exhibiting different sensitivities to the same ultrasound intensity. Young's modulus correlates with cell viability (R 2 = 0.93), indicating that this single biomechanical property can predict cell sensitivity to ultrasound treatment. In mice, repeated ultrasound treatment inhibits tumor growth without damaging healthy skin tissue. Histopathological tumor analysis indicates ultrasound-induced focal necrosis at the treatment site. Our findings provide a strong rationale for developing ultrasound as a noninvasive selective treatment for superficial cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eden Bergman
- Department of Chemical EngineeringBen‐Gurion University of the NegevBeer‐ShevaIsrael
| | - Riki Goldbart
- Department of Chemical EngineeringBen‐Gurion University of the NegevBeer‐ShevaIsrael
| | - Tamar Traitel
- Department of Chemical EngineeringBen‐Gurion University of the NegevBeer‐ShevaIsrael
| | - Eliz Amar‐Lewis
- Department of Chemical EngineeringBen‐Gurion University of the NegevBeer‐ShevaIsrael
| | - Jonathan Zorea
- The Shraga Segal Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Genetics, Faculty of Health SciencesBen‐Gurion University of the NegevBeer‐ShevaIsrael
| | - Ksenia Yegodayev
- The Shraga Segal Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Genetics, Faculty of Health SciencesBen‐Gurion University of the NegevBeer‐ShevaIsrael
| | - Irit Alon
- Institute of PathologyBarzilai University Medical CenterAshkelonIsrael
- Department of Pathology, School of Health SciencesBen‐Gurion University of the NegevBeer‐ShebaIsrael
| | - Sanela Rankovic
- Department of Physiology and Cell BiologyBen‐Gurion University of the NegevBeer‐ShevaIsrael
| | - Yuval Krieger
- Department of Plastic Surgery and Burn Unit, Faculty of Health SciencesSoroka University Medical Center, Ben‐Gurion University of the NegevBeer‐ShevaIsrael
| | - Itay Rousso
- Department of Physiology and Cell BiologyBen‐Gurion University of the NegevBeer‐ShevaIsrael
| | - Moshe Elkabets
- The Shraga Segal Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Genetics, Faculty of Health SciencesBen‐Gurion University of the NegevBeer‐ShevaIsrael
| | - Joseph Kost
- Department of Chemical EngineeringBen‐Gurion University of the NegevBeer‐ShevaIsrael
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17
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Kolb P, Schundner A, Frick M, Gottschalk KE. In Vitro Measurements of Cellular Forces and their Importance in the Lung-From the Sub- to the Multicellular Scale. Life (Basel) 2021; 11:691. [PMID: 34357063 PMCID: PMC8307149 DOI: 10.3390/life11070691] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2021] [Revised: 07/09/2021] [Accepted: 07/09/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Throughout life, the body is subjected to various mechanical forces on the organ, tissue, and cellular level. Mechanical stimuli are essential for organ development and function. One organ whose function depends on the tightly connected interplay between mechanical cell properties, biochemical signaling, and external forces is the lung. However, altered mechanical properties or excessive mechanical forces can also drive the onset and progression of severe pulmonary diseases. Characterizing the mechanical properties and forces that affect cell and tissue function is therefore necessary for understanding physiological and pathophysiological mechanisms. In recent years, multiple methods have been developed for cellular force measurements at multiple length scales, from subcellular forces to measuring the collective behavior of heterogeneous cellular networks. In this short review, we give a brief overview of the mechanical forces at play on the cellular level in the lung. We then focus on the technological aspects of measuring cellular forces at many length scales. We describe tools with a subcellular resolution and elaborate measurement techniques for collective multicellular units. Many of the technologies described are by no means restricted to lung research and have already been applied successfully to cells from various other tissues. However, integrating the knowledge gained from these multi-scale measurements in a unifying framework is still a major future challenge.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter Kolb
- Institute of Experimental Physics, Ulm University, 89069 Ulm, Germany;
| | - Annika Schundner
- Institute of General Physiology, Ulm University, 89069 Ulm, Germany;
| | - Manfred Frick
- Institute of General Physiology, Ulm University, 89069 Ulm, Germany;
| | - Kay-E. Gottschalk
- Institute of Experimental Physics, Ulm University, 89069 Ulm, Germany;
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18
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Li G, Lee C, Read AT, Wang K, Ha J, Kuhn M, Navarro I, Cui J, Young K, Gorijavolu R, Sulchek T, Kopczynski C, Farsiu S, Samples J, Challa P, Ethier CR, Stamer WD. Anti-fibrotic activity of a rho-kinase inhibitor restores outflow function and intraocular pressure homeostasis. eLife 2021; 10:60831. [PMID: 33783352 PMCID: PMC8009676 DOI: 10.7554/elife.60831] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2020] [Accepted: 03/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Glucocorticoids are widely used as an ophthalmic medication. A common, sight-threatening adverse event of glucocorticoid usage is ocular hypertension, caused by dysfunction of the conventional outflow pathway. We report that netarsudil, a rho-kinase inhibitor, decreased glucocorticoid-induced ocular hypertension in patients whose intraocular pressures were poorly controlled by standard medications. Mechanistic studies in our established mouse model of glucocorticoid-induced ocular hypertension show that netarsudil both prevented and reduced intraocular pressure elevation. Further, netarsudil attenuated characteristic steroid-induced pathologies as assessed by quantification of outflow function and tissue stiffness, and morphological and immunohistochemical indicators of tissue fibrosis. Thus, rho-kinase inhibitors act directly on conventional outflow cells to prevent or attenuate fibrotic disease processes in glucocorticoid-induced ocular hypertension in an immune-privileged environment. Moreover, these data motivate the need for a randomized prospective clinical study to determine whether netarsudil is indeed superior to first-line anti-glaucoma drugs in lowering steroid-induced ocular hypertension.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guorong Li
- Department of Ophthalmology, Duke University, Durham, United States
| | - Chanyoung Lee
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology/Emory University, Atlanta, United States
| | - A Thomas Read
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology/Emory University, Atlanta, United States
| | - Ke Wang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology/Emory University, Atlanta, United States
| | - Jungmin Ha
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, United States
| | - Megan Kuhn
- Department of Ophthalmology, Duke University, Durham, United States
| | - Iris Navarro
- Department of Ophthalmology, Duke University, Durham, United States
| | - Jenny Cui
- Department of Ophthalmology, Duke University, Durham, United States
| | - Katherine Young
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology/Emory University, Atlanta, United States
| | - Rahul Gorijavolu
- Department of Ophthalmology, Duke University, Durham, United States
| | - Todd Sulchek
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, United States
| | | | - Sina Farsiu
- Department of Ophthalmology, Duke University, Durham, United States.,Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, United States
| | - John Samples
- Washington State University Floyd Elson School of Medicine, Spokane, United States
| | - Pratap Challa
- Department of Ophthalmology, Duke University, Durham, United States
| | - C Ross Ethier
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology/Emory University, Atlanta, United States.,Department of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, United States
| | - W Daniel Stamer
- Department of Ophthalmology, Duke University, Durham, United States.,Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, United States
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19
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Liu Y, Sokolov I, Dokukin ME, Xiong Y, Peng P. Can AFM be used to measure absolute values of Young's modulus of nanocomposite materials down to the nanoscale? NANOSCALE 2020; 12:12432-12443. [PMID: 32495797 DOI: 10.1039/d0nr02314k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
At present, a technique potentially capable of measuring values of Young's modulus at the nanoscale is atomic force microscopy (AFM) working in the indentation mode. However, the question if AFM indentation data can be translated into absolute values of the modulus is not well-studied as yet, in particular, for the most interesting case of stiff nanocomposite materials. Here we investigate this question. A special sample of nanocomposite material, shale rock, was used, which is relatively homogeneous at the multi-micron scale. Two AFM modes, force-volume and PeakForce QNM were used in this study. The nanoindentation technique was used as a control benchmark for the measurement of effective Young's modulus of the shale sample. The indentation rate was carefully controlled. To ensure the self-consistency of the mechanical model used to analyze AFM data, the model was modified to take into account the presence of the surface roughness. We found excellent agreement between the average values of effective Young's modulus calculated within AFM and the nanoindenter benchmark method. At the same time, the softest and hardest areas of the sample were seen only with AFM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuke Liu
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Tufts University, Medford, MA, USA.
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20
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Makarova N, Kalaparthi V, Wang A, Williams C, Dokukin ME, Kaufman CK, Zon L, Sokolov I. Difference in biophysical properties of cancer-initiating cells in melanoma mutated zebrafish. J Mech Behav Biomed Mater 2020; 107:103746. [PMID: 32364948 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmbbm.2020.103746] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2020] [Revised: 03/18/2020] [Accepted: 03/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Despite sharing oncogenetic mutations, only a small number of cells within a given tissue will undergo malignant transformation. Biochemical and physical factors responsible for this cancer-initiation process are not well understood. Here we study biophysical differences of pre-melanoma and melanoma cells in a BRAFV600E/P53 zebrafish model. The AFM indentation technique was used to study the cancer-initiating cells while the surrounding melanocytes were the control. We observed a statistically significant decrease in the modulus of elasticity (the effective Young's modulus) of cancer-initiating cells compared to the surrounding melanocytes. No significant differences in the pericellular coat surrounding cells were observed. These results contribute to a better understanding of the factors responsible for the initiation of cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- N Makarova
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Tufts University, Medford, MA, USA
| | - Vivek Kalaparthi
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Tufts University, Medford, MA, USA
| | - Andrew Wang
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Tufts University, Medford, MA, USA
| | - Chris Williams
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Tufts University, Medford, MA, USA
| | - M E Dokukin
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Tufts University, Medford, MA, USA; Sarov Physics and Technology Institute, National Research Nuclear University MEPhI, Sarov, Russian Federation
| | - Charles K Kaufman
- Department of Medicine, Division of Oncology, Washington University, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | | | - I Sokolov
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Tufts University, Medford, MA, USA; Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tufts University, Medford, MA, USA; Department of Physics, Tufts University, Medford, MA, USA.
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21
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Pleskova SN, Kriukov RN, Bobyk SZ, Boryakov AV, Brilkina AA. Investigation of Adhesive Intercellular Contacts of Neutrophils and Lymphocytes by Atomic Force Microscopy. Biophysics (Nagoya-shi) 2020. [DOI: 10.1134/s0006350920010170] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
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22
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Lv JQ, Chen PC, Góźdź WT, Li B. Mechanical adaptions of collective cells nearby free tissue boundaries. J Biomech 2020; 104:109763. [PMID: 32224050 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbiomech.2020.109763] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2020] [Revised: 03/16/2020] [Accepted: 03/18/2020] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Mechanical adaptions of cells, including stiffness variation, cytoskeleton remodeling, motion coordination, and shape changing, are essential for tissue morphogenesis, wound healing, and malignant progression. In this paper, we take confluent monolayers of Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) and mouse myoblast (C2C12) cells as model systems to probe how cells collectively adapt their mechanical features in response to a free tissue boundary. We show that the free boundary not only can trigger unjamming transition but also induces cell fluidization nearby the boundary. The Young's moduli of cells near the boundary are found to be much lower than those of interior cells. We demonstrate that the stiffness of cells in monolayers with a free tissue boundary exhibits negative dependence on the projected cell area, in contrast to previous studies where cells were found to stiffen as cellular area increases in a confluent MDCK monolayer without boundary. In addition, the free tissue boundary may activate cell remodeling, rendering volume enlargement and cell-specified cytoskeleton organization. Our study emphasizes the important role of geometrical boundary in regulating biomechanical properties of cell aggregates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jian-Qing Lv
- Institute of Biomechanics and Medical Engineering, Applied Mechanics Laboratory, Department of Engineering Mechanics, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Peng-Cheng Chen
- Institute of Biomechanics and Medical Engineering, Applied Mechanics Laboratory, Department of Engineering Mechanics, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Wojciech T Góźdź
- Institute of Physical Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Kasprzaka 44/52, 01-224 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Bo Li
- Institute of Biomechanics and Medical Engineering, Applied Mechanics Laboratory, Department of Engineering Mechanics, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China.
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23
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Korayem MH, Heidary K, Rastegar Z. The head and neck cancer (HN-5) cell line properties extraction by AFM. J Biol Eng 2020; 14:10. [PMID: 32206087 PMCID: PMC7079545 DOI: 10.1186/s13036-020-00233-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2019] [Accepted: 03/09/2020] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
This work incorporates experimental methods based on Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) in order to extract the physical and mechanical characteristics of the head and neck cancer (HN-5) cell line such as cell topography, modulus of elasticity and viscoelastic properties. The initial parameters to determine the mechanical properties are obtained by extracting information from cantilever's force-displacement curve and vertical and horizontal displacement. Next, the changes in elasticity modulus at different points in the cell are attained using the experimental results, followed by studying the differences of these properties at various spots of the cell. Furthermore, cellular folding factor is calculated as a significant property in diagnosing the extent of cancer progression. Moreover, parameters such as adhesion and intermolecular forces are measured which are involved in the first phase of manipulation and during the application of the cantilever force to the particle. Finally, after calculating the indentation depth and contact radius using contact theories, critical manipulation time and force are obtained. Through modeling the cell, the creep function, the spring constant and the damping coefficient corresponding to the cell, are also extracted.
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Affiliation(s)
- M H Korayem
- 1Robotic Research Laboratory, Center of Excellence in Experimental Solid Mechanics and Dynamics, School of Mechanical Engineering, Iran University of Science and Technology, Narmak, Tehran, 16846 Iran
| | - K Heidary
- 2Department of Computer Engineering, Islamic Azad University, Sciences & Research Branch, Hesarak, Tehran, 1477893855 Iran
| | - Z Rastegar
- 3School of Mechanical Engineering, Iran University of Science and Technology, Narmak, Tehran, 16846 Iran
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24
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Efremov YM, Okajima T, Raman A. Measuring viscoelasticity of soft biological samples using atomic force microscopy. SOFT MATTER 2020; 16:64-81. [PMID: 31720656 DOI: 10.1039/c9sm01020c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 104] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Mechanical properties play important roles at different scales in biology. At the level of a single cell, the mechanical properties mediate mechanosensing and mechanotransduction, while at the tissue and organ levels, changes in mechanical properties are closely connected to disease and physiological processes. Over the past three decades, atomic force microscopy (AFM) has become one of the most widely used tools in the mechanical characterization of soft samples, ranging from molecules, cell organoids and cells to whole tissue. AFM methods can be used to quantify both elastic and viscoelastic properties, and significant recent developments in the latter have been enabled by the introduction of new techniques and models for data analysis. Here, we review AFM techniques developed in recent years for examining the viscoelastic properties of cells and soft gels, describe the main steps in typical data acquisition and analysis protocols, and discuss relevant viscoelastic models and how these have been used to characterize the specific features of cellular and other biological samples. We also discuss recent trends and potential directions for this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuri M Efremov
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA. and Birck Nanotechnology Center, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA and Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Sechenov University, Moscow, Russia
| | - Takaharu Okajima
- Graduate School of Information Science and Technology, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Arvind Raman
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA. and Birck Nanotechnology Center, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA
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25
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Production and Characterization of Recombinant Collagen-Binding Resilin Nanocomposite for Regenerative Medicine Applications. REGENERATIVE ENGINEERING AND TRANSLATIONAL MEDICINE 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s40883-019-00092-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
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26
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Stühn L, Fritschen A, Choy J, Dehnert M, Dietz C. Nanomechanical sub-surface mapping of living biological cells by force microscopy. NANOSCALE 2019; 11:13089-13097. [PMID: 31268074 DOI: 10.1039/c9nr03497h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Atomic force microscopy allows for the nanomechanical surface characterization of a multitude of types of materials with highest spatial precision in various relevant environments. In recent years, researchers have refined this methodology to analyze living biological materials in vitro. The atomic force microscope thus has become an essential instrument for the (in many cases) non-destructive, high-resolution imaging of cells and visualization of their dynamic mechanical processes. Mapping force versus distance curves and the local evaluation of soft samples allow the operator to "see" beneath the sample surface and to capture the local mechanical properties. In this work, we combine atomic force microscopy with fluorescence microscopy to investigate cancerous epithelial breast cells in culture medium. With unprecedented spatial resolution, we provide tomographic images for the local elasticity of confluent layers of cells. For these particular samples, a layer of higher elastic modulus located directly beneath the cell membrane in comparison with the average elastic properties was observed. Strikingly, this layer appears to be perforated at unique locations of the sample surface of weakest mechanical properties where distinct features were visible permitting the tip to indent farthest into the cell's volume. We interpret this layer as the cell membrane mechanically supported by the components of the cytoskeleton that is populated with sites of integral membrane proteins. These proteins act as breaking points for the indenter thus explaining the mechanical weakness at these locations. In contrast, the highest mechanical strength of the cell was found at locations of the cell cores as cross-checked by fluorescence microscopy images of staining experiments, in particular at nucleoli sites as the cumulative elastic modulus there comprises cytoskeletal features and the tight packing ribosomal DNA of the cell.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lukas Stühn
- Physics of Surfaces, Institute of Materials Science, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Alarich-Weiss-Str. 2, 64287 Darmstadt, Germany.
| | - Anna Fritschen
- Physics of Surfaces, Institute of Materials Science, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Alarich-Weiss-Str. 2, 64287 Darmstadt, Germany.
| | - Joseph Choy
- Physics of Surfaces, Institute of Materials Science, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Alarich-Weiss-Str. 2, 64287 Darmstadt, Germany.
| | - Martin Dehnert
- Fakultät für Naturwissenschaften, Technische Universität Chemnitz, D-09107 Chemnitz, Germany
| | - Christian Dietz
- Physics of Surfaces, Institute of Materials Science, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Alarich-Weiss-Str. 2, 64287 Darmstadt, Germany.
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27
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Iturri J, Weber A, Moreno-Cencerrado A, Vivanco MDM, Benítez R, Leporatti S, Toca-Herrera JL. Resveratrol-Induced Temporal Variation in the Mechanical Properties of MCF-7 Breast Cancer Cells Investigated by Atomic Force Microscopy. Int J Mol Sci 2019; 20:E3275. [PMID: 31277289 PMCID: PMC6651212 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20133275] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2019] [Revised: 06/28/2019] [Accepted: 07/01/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Atomic force microscopy (AFM) combined with fluorescence microscopy has been used to quantify cytomechanical modifications induced by resveratrol (at a fixed concentration of 50 µM) in a breast cancer cell line (MCF-7) upon temporal variation. Cell indentation methodology has been utilized to determine simultaneous variations of Young's modulus, the maximum adhesion force, and tether formation, thereby determining cell motility and adhesiveness. Effects of treatment were measured at several time-points (0-6 h, 24 h, and 48 h); longer exposures resulted in cell death. Our results demonstrated that AFM can be efficiently used as a diagnostic tool to monitor irreversible morpho/nano-mechanical changes in cancer cells during the early steps of drug treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jagoba Iturri
- Institute for Biophysics, Department of Nanobiotechnology (DNBT), BOKU University for Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Muthgasse 11 (Simon Zeisel Haus), A-1190 Vienna, Austria.
| | - Andreas Weber
- Institute for Biophysics, Department of Nanobiotechnology (DNBT), BOKU University for Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Muthgasse 11 (Simon Zeisel Haus), A-1190 Vienna, Austria
| | - Alberto Moreno-Cencerrado
- Institute for Biophysics, Department of Nanobiotechnology (DNBT), BOKU University for Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Muthgasse 11 (Simon Zeisel Haus), A-1190 Vienna, Austria
- Research Institute of Molecular Pathology (IMP). Campus-Vienna-Biocenter 1, 1030 Vienna, Austria
| | - Maria dM Vivanco
- Cancer Heterogeneity Lab, CIC bioGUNE, Bizkaia Science and Technology Park, 48160 Derio, Spain
| | - Rafael Benítez
- Department Matemáticas para la Economía y la Empresa, Facultad de Economía, Universidad de Valencia, Avda. Tarongers s/n, 46022 Valencia, Spain
| | - Stefano Leporatti
- CNR Nanotec-Istituto di Nanotecnologia, Polo di Nanotecnologia c/o Campus Ecoteckne, Via Monteroni, 73100 Lecce, Italy.
| | - José Luis Toca-Herrera
- Institute for Biophysics, Department of Nanobiotechnology (DNBT), BOKU University for Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Muthgasse 11 (Simon Zeisel Haus), A-1190 Vienna, Austria
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28
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Nguyen QD, Chung KH. Effect of tip shape on nanomechanical properties measurements using AFM. Ultramicroscopy 2019; 202:1-9. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ultramic.2019.03.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2018] [Revised: 02/19/2019] [Accepted: 03/21/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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Rusaczonek M, Zapotoczny B, Szymonski M, Konior J. Application of a layered model for determination of the elasticity of biological systems. Micron 2019; 124:102705. [PMID: 31252332 DOI: 10.1016/j.micron.2019.102705] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2018] [Revised: 06/13/2019] [Accepted: 06/14/2019] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
Elasticity of biological systems is considered to be an important property that might be related to functional or pathological changes. Therefore, careful study and detailed understanding of cell and tissue elasticity is crucial for correct description of their functioning. Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) is a powerful technique, which allows for determination of the physical properties, such as elasticity, of soft-matter systems in nano-scale. An important step in AFM elasticity studies is a proper interpretation of experimental data. Two most frequently used theoretical schemes applied to determine elasticity are due to Hertz and Sneddon, which are effectively one-parameter models. In this work, we go beyond this approach. Firstly, as elasticity is a local property, we extract from the slope of experimental force-indentation curve an elasticity parameter, which varies with indentation depth. Then secondly, we find best approximation of this parameter by applying the two-layer model with four effective parameters, as proposed by Kovalev. This method is employed to the experimental data taken on murine liver sinusoidal endothelial cells in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease model. The obtained results show additional effects, not seen within the traditional, simplified scheme. Namely, the elasticity of the first layer does not change its value in the model of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, but the increase of stiffness is noticed in second layer. The second goal of this article is to reveal and discuss the differences between traditional approaches and the one being presented. The deviations from the original assumptions are analysed and the corresponding restrictions on utility of theoretical models are presented.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Rusaczonek
- Marian Smoluchowski Institute of Physics, Department of Physics, Astronomy, and Applied Computer Science, Jagiellonian University, 30-059 Kraków, Poland.
| | - B Zapotoczny
- Marian Smoluchowski Institute of Physics, Department of Physics, Astronomy, and Applied Computer Science, Jagiellonian University, 30-059 Kraków, Poland
| | - M Szymonski
- Marian Smoluchowski Institute of Physics, Department of Physics, Astronomy, and Applied Computer Science, Jagiellonian University, 30-059 Kraków, Poland
| | - J Konior
- Marian Smoluchowski Institute of Physics, Department of Physics, Astronomy, and Applied Computer Science, Jagiellonian University, 30-059 Kraków, Poland
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30
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de Coene Y, Deschaume O, Zhang Y, Billen A, He J, Seré S, Knoppe S, Van Cleuvenbergen S, Verbiest T, Clays K, Ye J, Bartic C. Enhancement of Nonlinear Optical Scattering by Gold Nanoparticles through Aggregation-Induced Plasmon Coupling in the Near-Infrared. Chemphyschem 2019; 20:1765-1774. [PMID: 31020783 DOI: 10.1002/cphc.201900194] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2019] [Revised: 04/02/2019] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) are regarded as promising building blocks in functional nanomaterials for sensing, drug delivery and catalysis. One remarkable property of these particles is the localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR), which gives rise to augmented optical properties through local field enhancement. LSPR also influences the nonlinear optical properties of metal NPs (MNPs) making them potentially interesting candidates for fast, high resolution nonlinear optical imaging. In this work we characterize and discuss the wavelength dependence of the hyper-Rayleigh scattering (HRS) behavior of spherical gold nanoparticles (GNP) and gold nanorods (GNR) in solution, from 850 nm up to 1300 nm, covering the near-infrared (NIR) window relevant for deep tissue imaging. The high-resolution spectral data allows discriminating between HRS and two photon photoluminescence contributions. Upon particle aggregation, we measured very large enhancements (ca. 104 ) of the HRS intensity in the NIR, which is explained by considering aggregation-induced plasmon coupling effects and local field enhancement. These results indicate that purposely designed coupled nanostructures could prove advantageous for nonlinear optical imaging and biosensing applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yovan de Coene
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Leuven, Celestijnenlaan 200D, 3001, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Olivier Deschaume
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Leuven, Celestijnenlaan 200D, 3001, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Yuqing Zhang
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 1954 Huashan Road, Shanghai, P.R. China, 200030
| | - Arne Billen
- Department of Chemistry, University of Leuven, Celestijnenlaan 200D, 3001, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Jing He
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 1954 Huashan Road, Shanghai, P.R. China, 200030
| | - Stephanie Seré
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Leuven, Celestijnenlaan 200D, 3001, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Stefan Knoppe
- Institute for Physical Chemistry, University of Stuttgart, Pfaffenwaldring 55, 70569, Stuttgart, Germany
| | | | - Thierry Verbiest
- Department of Chemistry, University of Leuven, Celestijnenlaan 200D, 3001, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Koen Clays
- Department of Chemistry, University of Leuven, Celestijnenlaan 200D, 3001, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Jian Ye
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 1954 Huashan Road, Shanghai, P.R. China, 200030
| | - Carmen Bartic
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Leuven, Celestijnenlaan 200D, 3001, Leuven, Belgium
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Hayama R, Sorci M, Keating IV JJ, Hecht LM, Plawsky JL, Belfort G, Chait BT, Rout MP. Interactions of nuclear transport factors and surface-conjugated FG nucleoporins: Insights and limitations. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0217897. [PMID: 31170242 PMCID: PMC6553764 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0217897] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2019] [Accepted: 05/21/2019] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Protein-protein interactions are central to biological processes. In vitro methods to examine protein-protein interactions are generally categorized into two classes: in-solution and surface-based methods. Here, using the multivalent interactions between nucleocytoplasmic transport factors and intrinsically disordered FG repeat containing nuclear pore complex proteins as a model system, we examined the utility of three surface-based methods: atomic force microscopy, quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation, and surface plasmon resonance. Although results were comparable to those of previous reports, the apparent effect of mass transport limitations was demonstrated. Additional experiments with a loss-of-interaction FG repeat mutant variant demonstrated that the binding events that take place on surfaces can be unexpectedly complex, suggesting particular care must be exercised in interpretation of such data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryo Hayama
- Laboratory of Cellular and Structural Biology, the Rockefeller University, New York, NY, United States of America
| | - Mirco Sorci
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering and Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY, United States of America
| | - John J. Keating IV
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering and Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY, United States of America
| | - Lee M. Hecht
- Laboratory of Cellular and Structural Biology, the Rockefeller University, New York, NY, United States of America
| | - Joel L. Plawsky
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering and Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY, United States of America
| | - Georges Belfort
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering and Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY, United States of America
- * E-mail: (GB); (BTC); (MPR)
| | - Brian T. Chait
- Laboratory of Mass Spectrometry and Gaseous Chemistry, the Rockefeller University, New York, NY, United States of America
- * E-mail: (GB); (BTC); (MPR)
| | - Michael P. Rout
- Laboratory of Cellular and Structural Biology, the Rockefeller University, New York, NY, United States of America
- * E-mail: (GB); (BTC); (MPR)
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32
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Stiffness of MDCK II Cells Depends on Confluency and Cell Size. Biophys J 2019; 116:2204-2211. [PMID: 31126583 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2019.04.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2018] [Revised: 02/25/2019] [Accepted: 04/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Mechanical phenotyping of adherent cells has become a serious tool in cell biology to understand how cells respond to their environment and eventually to identify disease patterns such as the malignancy of cancer cells. In the steady state, homeostasis is of pivotal importance, and cells strive to maintain their internal stresses even in challenging environments and in response to external chemical and mechanical stimuli. However, a major problem exists in determining mechanical properties because many techniques, such as atomic force microscopy, that assess these properties of adherent cells locally can only address a limited number of cells and provide elastic moduli that vary substantially from cell to cell. The origin of this spread in stiffness values is largely unknown and might limit the significance of measurements. Possible reasons for the disparity are variations in cell shape and size, as well as biological reasons such as the cell cycle or polarization state of the cell. Here, we show that stiffness of adherent epithelial cells rises with increasing projected apical cell area in a nonlinear fashion. This size stiffening not only occurs as a consequence of varying cell-seeding densities, it can also be observed within a small area of a particular cell culture. Experiments with single adherent cells attached to defined areas via microcontact printing show that size stiffening is limited to cells of a confluent monolayer. This leads to the conclusion that cells possibly regulate their size distribution through cortical stress, which is enhanced in larger cells and reduced in smaller cells.
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33
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Fujii Y, Ochi Y, Tuchiya M, Kajita M, Fujita Y, Ishimoto Y, Okajima T. Spontaneous Spatial Correlation of Elastic Modulus in Jammed Epithelial Monolayers Observed by AFM. Biophys J 2019; 116:1152-1158. [PMID: 30826009 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2019.01.037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2018] [Revised: 01/19/2019] [Accepted: 01/28/2019] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
For isolated single cells on a substrate, the intracellular stiffness, which is often measured as the Young's modulus, E, by atomic force microscopy (AFM), depends on the substrate rigidity. However, little is known about how the E of cells is influenced by the surrounding cells in a cell population system in which cells physically and tightly contact adjacent cells. In this study, we investigated the spatial heterogeneities of E in a jammed epithelial monolayer in which cell migration was highly inhibited, allowing us to precisely measure the spatial distribution of E in large-scale regions by AFM. The AFM measurements showed that E can be characterized using two spatial correlation lengths: the shorter correlation length, lS, is within the single cell size, whereas the longer correlation length, lL, is longer than the distance between adjacent cells and corresponds to the intercellular correlation of E. We found that lL decreased significantly when the actin filaments were disrupted or calcium ions were chelated using chemical treatments, and the decreased lL recovered to the value in the control condition after the treatments were washed out. Moreover, we found that lL decreased significantly when E-cadherin was knocked down. These results indicate that the observed long-range correlation of E is not fixed within the jammed state but inherently arises from the formation of a large-scale actin filament structure via E-cadherin-dependent cell-cell junctions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuki Fujii
- Graduate School of Information Science and Technology, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Yuki Ochi
- Graduate School of Information Science and Technology, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Masahiro Tuchiya
- Graduate School of Information Science and Technology, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Mihoko Kajita
- Institute for Genetic Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Yasuyuki Fujita
- Institute for Genetic Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Yukitaka Ishimoto
- Department of Machine Intelligence and Systems Engineering, Akita Prefectural University, Yurihonjo City, Japan
| | - Takaharu Okajima
- Graduate School of Information Science and Technology, Sapporo, Japan.
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34
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Zhang L, Zhao L, Ouyang PK, Chen P. Insight into the role of cholesterol in modulation of morphology and mechanical properties of CHO-K1 cells: An in situ AFM study. Front Chem Sci Eng 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s11705-018-1775-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
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35
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Razvag Y, Neve-Oz Y, Sherman E, Reches M. Nanoscale Topography-Rigidity Correlation at the Surface of T Cells. ACS NANO 2019; 13:346-356. [PMID: 30485065 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.8b06366] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
The mechanical properties of cells affect their function, in sensing, development, and motility. However, the rigidity of the cell surface and its correlation to its local topography remain poorly understood. Here, we applied quantitative imaging AFM to capture high-resolution force maps at the surface of nonadherent T cells. Using this method, we found a positive topography-rigidity correlation at the cells' surface, as opposed to a negative correlation at the surface of adherent cells. We then used 3D single-molecule localization microscopy of the membrane and cortical actin and an actin-perturbing drug to implicate actin involvement in the positive rigidity-topography correlation in T cells. Our results clearly reveal the variability of cell-surface rigidity and its underlying mechanism, showing a functional role for cortical actin in the PM protrusions of T cells, since they are locally more rigid than their surroundings. These findings suggest the possible functional role of membrane protrusions as mechanosensors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yair Razvag
- Institute of Chemistry , The Hebrew University , Jerusalem , 91904 , Israel
- Racah Institute of Physics , The Hebrew University , Jerusalem , 91904 , Israel
| | - Yair Neve-Oz
- Racah Institute of Physics , The Hebrew University , Jerusalem , 91904 , Israel
| | - Eilon Sherman
- Racah Institute of Physics , The Hebrew University , Jerusalem , 91904 , Israel
| | - Meital Reches
- Institute of Chemistry , The Hebrew University , Jerusalem , 91904 , Israel
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36
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Abstract
Cell's elasticity is an integrative parameter summarizing the biophysical outcome of many known and unknown cellular processes. This includes intracellular signaling, cytoskeletal activity, changes of cell volume and morphology, and many others. Not only intracellular processes defines a cell's elasticity but also environmental factors like their biochemical and biophysical surrounding. Therefore, cell mechanics represents a comprehensive variable of life. A cell in its standard conditions shows variabilities of biochemical and biophysical processes resulting in a certain range of cell's elasticity. Changes of the standard conditions, endogenously or exogenously induced, are frequently paralleled by changes of cell elasticity. Therefore cell elasticity could serve as parameter to characterize different states of a cell. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) combines high spatial resolution with very high force sensitivity and allows investigating mechanical properties of living cells under physiological conditions. However, elastic moduli reported in the literature showed a large variability, sometimes by an order of magnitude (or even more) for the same cell type assessed in different labs. Clearly, a prerequisite for the use of cell elasticity to describe the actual cell status is a standardized procedure that allows obtaining comparable values of a cell independent from the instrument, from the lab and operator. Biologically derived variations of elasticity could not be reduced due to the nature of living cells but technically and methodologically derived variations could be minimized by a standardized procedure.This chapter provides a Standardized Nanomechanical AFM Procedure (SNAP) that reduces strongly the variability of results obtained on soft samples and living cells by a reliable method to calibrate AFM cantilevers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hermann Schillers
- Institute of Physiology II, University of Münster, Münster, Germany.
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37
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Qian L, Zhao H. Nanoindentation of Soft Biological Materials. MICROMACHINES 2018; 9:E654. [PMID: 30544918 PMCID: PMC6316095 DOI: 10.3390/mi9120654] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2018] [Revised: 11/27/2018] [Accepted: 12/05/2018] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Nanoindentation techniques, with high spatial resolution and force sensitivity, have recently been moved into the center of the spotlight for measuring the mechanical properties of biomaterials, especially bridging the scales from the molecular via the cellular and tissue all the way to the organ level, whereas characterizing soft biomaterials, especially down to biomolecules, is fraught with more pitfalls compared with the hard biomaterials. In this review we detail the constitutive behavior of soft biomaterials under nanoindentation (including AFM) and present the characteristics of experimental aspects in detail, such as the adaption of instrumentation and indentation response of soft biomaterials. We further show some applications, and discuss the challenges and perspectives related to nanoindentation of soft biomaterials, a technique that can pinpoint the mechanical properties of soft biomaterials for the scale-span is far-reaching for understanding biomechanics and mechanobiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Long Qian
- School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Jilin University, Changchun 130025, China.
| | - Hongwei Zhao
- School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Jilin University, Changchun 130025, China.
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38
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Liu Y, Sun Q, Lu W, Wang H, Sun Y, Wang Z, Lu X, Zeng K. General Resolution Enhancement Method in Atomic Force Microscopy Using Deep Learning. ADVANCED THEORY AND SIMULATIONS 2018. [DOI: 10.1002/adts.201800137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Yue Liu
- Department of Mechanical EngineeringNational University of Singapore 9 Engineering Drive 1 Singapore 117576
| | - Qiaomei Sun
- Department of Mechanical EngineeringNational University of Singapore 9 Engineering Drive 1 Singapore 117576
| | - Wanheng Lu
- Department of Mechanical EngineeringNational University of Singapore 9 Engineering Drive 1 Singapore 117576
| | - Hongli Wang
- Department of Mechanical EngineeringNational University of Singapore 9 Engineering Drive 1 Singapore 117576
| | - Yao Sun
- Department of Mechanical EngineeringNational University of Singapore 9 Engineering Drive 1 Singapore 117576
| | - Zhongting Wang
- Department of Mechanical EngineeringNational University of Singapore 9 Engineering Drive 1 Singapore 117576
| | - Xin Lu
- Department of Mechanical EngineeringNational University of Singapore 9 Engineering Drive 1 Singapore 117576
| | - Kaiyang Zeng
- Department of Mechanical EngineeringNational University of Singapore 9 Engineering Drive 1 Singapore 117576
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39
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Ford AJ, Rajagopalan P. Measuring Cytoplasmic Stiffness of Fibroblasts as a Function of Location and Substrate Rigidity Using Atomic Force Microscopy. ACS Biomater Sci Eng 2018; 4:3974-3982. [DOI: 10.1021/acsbiomaterials.8b01019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
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40
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Zanetti-Dällenbach R, Plodinec M, Oertle P, Redling K, Obermann EC, Lim RYH, Schoenenberger CA. Length Scale Matters: Real-Time Elastography versus Nanomechanical Profiling by Atomic Force Microscopy for the Diagnosis of Breast Lesions. BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2018; 2018:3840597. [PMID: 30410929 PMCID: PMC6206582 DOI: 10.1155/2018/3840597] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2018] [Accepted: 09/17/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Real-time elastography (RTE) is a noninvasive imaging modality where tumor-associated changes in tissue architecture are recognized as increased stiffness of the lesion compared to surrounding normal tissue. In contrast to this macroscopic appraisal, quantifying stiffness properties at the subcellular level by atomic force microscopy (AFM) reveals aggressive cancer cells to be soft. We compared RTE and AFM profiling of the same breast lesion to explore the diagnostic potential of tissue elasticity at different length scales. Patients were recruited from women who were scheduled for a biopsy in the outpatient breast clinic of the University Hospital Basel, Switzerland. RTE was performed as part of a standard breast work-up. Individual elastograms were characterized based on the Tsukuba elasticity score. Additionally, lesion elasticity was semiquantitatively assessed by the strain ratio. Core biopsies were obtained for histologic diagnosis and nanomechanical profiling by AFM under near-physiological conditions. Bulk stiffness evaluation by RTE does not always allow for a clear distinction between benign and malignant lesions and may result in the false assessment of breast lesions. AFM on the other hand enables quantitative stiffness measurements at higher spatial, i.e., subcellular, and force resolution. Consequently, lesions that were false positive or false negative by RTE were correctly identified by their nanomechanical AFM profiles as confirmed by histological diagnosis. Nanomechanical measurements can be used as unique markers of benign and cancerous breast lesions by providing relevant information at the molecular level. This is of particular significance considering the heterogeneity of tumors and may improve diagnostic accuracy compared to RTE.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Marija Plodinec
- Biozentrum and Swiss Nanoscience Institute, University of Basel, Switzerland
| | - Philipp Oertle
- Biozentrum and Swiss Nanoscience Institute, University of Basel, Switzerland
| | - Katharina Redling
- Gynecology and Obstetrics, University Hospital Basel, 4031 Basel, Switzerland
| | | | - Roderick Y. H. Lim
- Biozentrum and Swiss Nanoscience Institute, University of Basel, Switzerland
| | - Cora-Ann Schoenenberger
- Gynecology and Gynecologic Oncology, Claraspital, 4016 Basel, Switzerland
- Department of Chemistry, University of Basel, Switzerland
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41
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Nievergelt AP, Brillard C, Eskandarian HA, McKinney JD, Fantner GE. Photothermal Off-Resonance Tapping for Rapid and Gentle Atomic Force Imaging of Live Cells. Int J Mol Sci 2018; 19:E2984. [PMID: 30274330 PMCID: PMC6213139 DOI: 10.3390/ijms19102984] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2018] [Revised: 09/21/2018] [Accepted: 09/24/2018] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Imaging living cells by atomic force microscopy (AFM) promises not only high-resolution topographical data, but additionally, mechanical contrast, both of which are not obtainable with other microscopy techniques. Such imaging is however challenging, as cells need to be measured with low interaction forces to prevent either deformation or detachment from the surface. Off-resonance modes which periodically probe the surface have been shown to be advantageous, as they provide excellent force control combined with large amplitudes, which help reduce lateral force interactions. However, the low actuation frequency in traditional off-resonance techniques limits the imaging speed significantly. Using photothermal actuation, we probe the surface by directly actuating the cantilever. Due to the much smaller mass that needs to be actuated, the achievable measurement frequency is increased by two orders of magnitude. Additionally, photothermal off-resonance tapping (PORT) retains the precise force control of conventional off-resonance modes and is therefore well suited to gentle imaging. Here, we show how photothermal off-resonance tapping can be used to study live cells by AFM. As an example of imaging mammalian cells, the initial attachment, as well as long-term detachment, of human thrombocytes is presented. The membrane disrupting effect of the antimicrobial peptide CM-15 is shown on the cell wall of Escherichia coli. Finally, the dissolution of the cell wall of Bacillus subtilis by lysozyme is shown. Taken together, these evolutionarily disparate forms of life exemplify the usefulness of PORT for live cell imaging in a multitude of biological disciplines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adrian P Nievergelt
- Laboratory for Bio- and Nano-Instrumentation, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (EPFL), 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland.
| | - Charlène Brillard
- Laboratory for Bio- and Nano-Instrumentation, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (EPFL), 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland.
| | - Haig A Eskandarian
- Laboratory for Bio- and Nano-Instrumentation, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (EPFL), 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland.
- UPKIN, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (EPFL), 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland.
| | - John D McKinney
- UPKIN, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (EPFL), 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland.
| | - Georg E Fantner
- Laboratory for Bio- and Nano-Instrumentation, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (EPFL), 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland.
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42
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Mapping heterogeneity of cellular mechanics by multi-harmonic atomic force microscopy. Nat Protoc 2018; 13:2200-2216. [DOI: 10.1038/s41596-018-0031-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
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43
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Collins L, Kilpatrick JI, Kalinin SV, Rodriguez BJ. Towards nanoscale electrical measurements in liquid by advanced KPFM techniques: a review. REPORTS ON PROGRESS IN PHYSICS. PHYSICAL SOCIETY (GREAT BRITAIN) 2018; 81:086101. [PMID: 29990308 DOI: 10.1088/1361-6633/aab560] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Fundamental mechanisms of energy storage, corrosion, sensing, and multiple biological functionalities are directly coupled to electrical processes and ionic dynamics at solid-liquid interfaces. In many cases, these processes are spatially inhomogeneous taking place at grain boundaries, step edges, point defects, ion channels, etc and possess complex time and voltage dependent dynamics. This necessitates time-resolved and real-space probing of these phenomena. In this review, we discuss the applications of force-sensitive voltage modulated scanning probe microscopy (SPM) for probing electrical phenomena at solid-liquid interfaces. We first describe the working principles behind electrostatic and Kelvin probe force microscopies (EFM & KPFM) at the gas-solid interface, review the state of the art in advanced KPFM methods and developments to (i) overcome limitations of classical KPFM, (ii) expand the information accessible from KPFM, and (iii) extend KPFM operation to liquid environments. We briefly discuss the theoretical framework of electrical double layer (EDL) forces and dynamics, the implications and breakdown of classical EDL models for highly charged interfaces or under high ion concentrations, and describe recent modifications of the classical EDL theory relevant for understanding nanoscale electrical measurements at the solid-liquid interface. We further review the latest achievements in mapping surface charge, dielectric constants, and electrodynamic and electrochemical processes in liquids. Finally, we outline the key challenges and opportunities that exist in the field of nanoscale electrical measurements in liquid as well as providing a roadmap for the future development of liquid KPFM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liam Collins
- Center for Nanophase Materials Sciences, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, United States of America. Institute for Functional Imaging of Materials, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, United States of America
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Ganier O, Schnerch D, Oertle P, Lim RY, Plodinec M, Nigg EA. Structural centrosome aberrations promote non-cell-autonomous invasiveness. EMBO J 2018; 37:embj.201798576. [PMID: 29567643 PMCID: PMC5920242 DOI: 10.15252/embj.201798576] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2017] [Revised: 02/14/2018] [Accepted: 02/27/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Centrosomes are the main microtubule‐organizing centers of animal cells. Although centrosome aberrations are common in tumors, their consequences remain subject to debate. Here, we studied the impact of structural centrosome aberrations, induced by deregulated expression of ninein‐like protein (NLP), on epithelial spheres grown in Matrigel matrices. We demonstrate that NLP‐induced structural centrosome aberrations trigger the escape (“budding”) of living cells from epithelia. Remarkably, all cells disseminating into the matrix were undergoing mitosis. This invasive behavior reflects a novel mechanism that depends on the acquisition of two distinct properties. First, NLP‐induced centrosome aberrations trigger a re‐organization of the cytoskeleton, which stabilizes microtubules and weakens E‐cadherin junctions during mitosis. Second, atomic force microscopy reveals that cells harboring these centrosome aberrations display increased stiffness. As a consequence, mitotic cells are pushed out of mosaic epithelia, particularly if they lack centrosome aberrations. We conclude that centrosome aberrations can trigger cell dissemination through a novel, non‐cell‐autonomous mechanism, raising the prospect that centrosome aberrations contribute to the dissemination of metastatic cells harboring normal centrosomes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Philipp Oertle
- Biozentrum, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.,Swiss Nanoscience Institute, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Roderick Yh Lim
- Biozentrum, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.,Swiss Nanoscience Institute, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Marija Plodinec
- Biozentrum, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.,Swiss Nanoscience Institute, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Erich A Nigg
- Biozentrum, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
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Hall AR, Geoghegan M. Polymers and biopolymers at interfaces. REPORTS ON PROGRESS IN PHYSICS. PHYSICAL SOCIETY (GREAT BRITAIN) 2018; 81:036601. [PMID: 29368695 DOI: 10.1088/1361-6633/aa9e9c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
This review updates recent progress in the understanding of the behaviour of polymers at surfaces and interfaces, highlighting examples in the areas of wetting, dewetting, crystallization, and 'smart' materials. Recent developments in analysis tools have yielded a large increase in the study of biological systems, and some of these will also be discussed, focussing on areas where surfaces are important. These areas include molecular binding events and protein adsorption as well as the mapping of the surfaces of cells. Important techniques commonly used for the analysis of surfaces and interfaces are discussed separately to aid the understanding of their application.
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Affiliation(s)
- A R Hall
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Sheffield, Hounsfield Road, Sheffield S3 7RH, United Kingdom. Fraunhofer Project Centre for Embedded Bioanalytical Systems, Dublin City University, Glasnevin, Dublin 9, Ireland
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46
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Wang S, Xia W, Qiu M, Wang X, Jiang F, Yin R, Xu L. Atlas on substrate recognition subunits of CRL2 E3 ligases. Oncotarget 2018; 7:46707-46716. [PMID: 27107416 PMCID: PMC5216831 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.8732] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2015] [Accepted: 04/02/2016] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The Cullin2-type ubiquitin ligases belong to the Cullin-Ring Ligase (CRL) family, which is a crucial determinant of proteasome-based degradation processes in eukaryotes. Because of the finding of von Hippel-Lindau tumor suppressor (VHL), the Cullin2-type ubiquitin ligases gain focusing in the research of many diseases, especially in tumors. These multisubunit enzymes are composed of the Ring finger protein, the Cullin2 scaffold protein, the Elongin B&C linker protein and the variant substrate recognition subunits (SRSs), among which the Cullin2 scaffold protein is the determining factor of the enzyme mechanism. Substrate recognition of Cullin2-type ubiquitin ligases depends on SRSs and results in the degradation of diseases associated substrates by intracellular signaling events. This review focuses on the diversity and the multifunctionality of SRSs in the Cullin2-type ubiquitin ligases, including VHL, LRR-1, FEM1b, PRAME and ZYG11. Recently, as more SRSs are being discovered and more aspects of substrate recognition have been illuminated, insight into the relationship between Cul2-dependent SRSs and substrates provides a new area for cancer research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siwei Wang
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Nanjing Medical University Affiliated Cancer Hospital, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular and Translational Cancer Research, Cancer Institute of Jiangsu Province, Nanjing, China.,The Fourth Clinical College of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Wenjia Xia
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Nanjing Medical University Affiliated Cancer Hospital, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular and Translational Cancer Research, Cancer Institute of Jiangsu Province, Nanjing, China.,The Fourth Clinical College of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Mantang Qiu
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Nanjing Medical University Affiliated Cancer Hospital, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular and Translational Cancer Research, Cancer Institute of Jiangsu Province, Nanjing, China.,The Fourth Clinical College of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Xin Wang
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Nanjing Medical University Affiliated Cancer Hospital, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular and Translational Cancer Research, Cancer Institute of Jiangsu Province, Nanjing, China.,The Fourth Clinical College of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Feng Jiang
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Nanjing Medical University Affiliated Cancer Hospital, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular and Translational Cancer Research, Cancer Institute of Jiangsu Province, Nanjing, China
| | - Rong Yin
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Nanjing Medical University Affiliated Cancer Hospital, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular and Translational Cancer Research, Cancer Institute of Jiangsu Province, Nanjing, China
| | - Lin Xu
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Nanjing Medical University Affiliated Cancer Hospital, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular and Translational Cancer Research, Cancer Institute of Jiangsu Province, Nanjing, China
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Abstract
In wave physics, and especially seismology, uncorrelated vibrations could be exploited using “noise correlation” tools to reconstruct images of a medium. By using a high-frequency vibration, a high-speed tracking device, and a reconstruction technique based on temporal correlations of travelling waves we conceptualized an optical microelastography technique to map elasticity of internal cellular structures. This technique, unlike other methods, can provide an elasticity image in less than a millisecond, thus opening the possibility of studying dynamic cellular processes and elucidating new mechanocellular properties. We call this proposed technique “cell quake elastography.” Elasticity is a fundamental cellular property that is related to the anatomy, functionality, and pathological state of cells and tissues. However, current techniques based on cell deformation, atomic force microscopy, or Brillouin scattering are rather slow and do not always accurately represent cell elasticity. Here, we have developed an alternative technique by applying shear wave elastography to the micrometer scale. Elastic waves were mechanically induced in live mammalian oocytes using a vibrating micropipette. These audible frequency waves were observed optically at 200,000 frames per second and tracked with an optical flow algorithm. Whole-cell elasticity was then mapped using an elastography method inspired by the seismology field. Using this approach we show that the elasticity of mouse oocytes is decreased when the oocyte cytoskeleton is disrupted with cytochalasin B. The technique is fast (less than 1 ms for data acquisition), precise (spatial resolution of a few micrometers), able to map internal cell structures, and robust and thus represents a tractable option for interrogating biomechanical properties of diverse cell types.
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Trache A, Xie L, Huang H, Glinsky VV, Meininger GA. Applications of Atomic Force Microscopy for Adhesion Force Measurements in Mechanotransduction. Methods Mol Biol 2018; 1814:515-528. [PMID: 29956252 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-8591-3_30] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/04/2022]
Abstract
Adhesive interactions between living cells or ligand-receptor interactions can be studied at the molecular level using atomic force microscopy (AFM). Adhesion force measurements are performed with functionalized AFM probes. In order to measure single ligand-receptor interactions, a cantilever with a pyramidal tip is functionalized with a bio-recognized ligand (e.g., extracellular matrix protein). The ligand-functionalized probe is then brought into contact with a cell in culture to investigate adhesion between the respective probe-bound ligand and endogenously expressed cell surface receptors (e.g., integrins or other adhesion receptor). For experiments designed to examine cell-cell adhesions, a single cell is attached to a tipless cantilever which is then brought into contact with other cultured cells. Force curves are recorded to determine the forces necessary to rupture discrete adhesions between the probe-bound ligand and receptor, or to determine total adhesion force at cell-cell contacts. Here, we describe the procedures for measuring adhesions between (a) fibronectin and α5β1 integrin, and (b) breast cancer cells and bone marrow endothelial cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreea Trache
- Department of Medical Physiology, Texas A&M Health Science Center, College Station, TX, USA. .,Department of Biomedical Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA.
| | - Leike Xie
- Dalton Cardiovascular Research Center, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA.,Department of Pathology and Anatomical Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA
| | - Huang Huang
- Dalton Cardiovascular Research Center, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA.,Department of Medical Pharmacology and Physiology, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA
| | - Vladislav V Glinsky
- Dalton Cardiovascular Research Center, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA.,Department of Pathology and Anatomical Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA.,Research Service, Harry S. Truman Memorial Veterans Hospital, Columbia, MO, USA
| | - Gerald A Meininger
- Dalton Cardiovascular Research Center, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA.,Department of Pathology and Anatomical Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA.,Department of Medical Pharmacology and Physiology, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA
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Bidirectional mechanobiology between cells and their local extracellular matrix probed by atomic force microscopy. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2018; 73:71-81. [DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2017.07.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2017] [Revised: 07/13/2017] [Accepted: 07/17/2017] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
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Hinson KR, Reukov V, Benson EP, Zungoli PA, Bridges WC, Ellis BR, Song J. Climbing ability of teneral and sclerotized adult bed bugs and assessment of adhesive properties of the exoskeletal fluid using atomic force microscopy. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0189215. [PMID: 29244819 PMCID: PMC5731716 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0189215] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2017] [Accepted: 11/21/2017] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
We observed that teneral adults (<1 h post-molt) of Cimex lectularius L. appeared more adept at climbing a smooth surface compared to sclerotized adults. Differences in climbing ability on a smooth surface based on sclerotization status were quantified by measuring the height to which bed bugs climbed when confined within a glass vial. The average maximum height climbed by teneral (T) bed bugs (n = 30, height climbed = 4.69 cm) differed significantly (P< 0.01) from recently sclerotized (RS) bed bugs (n = 30, height climbed = 1.73 cm at ~48 h post molt), sclerotized group 1 (S1) bed bugs (n = 30, S1 = 2.42 cm at >72 h), and sclerotized group 2 (S2) bed bugs (n = 30, height climbed = 2.64 cm at >72 h post molt). When heights from all climbing events were summed, teneral bed bugs (650.8 cm climbed) differed significantly (P< 0.01) from recently sclerotized (82 cm climbed) and sclerotized (group 1 = 104.6 cm climbed, group 2 = 107.8 cm climbed) bed bugs. These findings suggested that the external surface of teneral bed bug exoskeletons possess an adhesive property. Using atomic force microscopy (AFM), we found that adhesion force of an exoskeletal (presumably molting) fluid decreased almost five-fold from 88 to 17 nN within an hour of molting. Our findings may have implications for laboratory safety and the effectiveness of bed bug traps, barriers, and biomimetic-based adhesives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin R. Hinson
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Clemson University Clemson, South Carolina, United States of America
| | - Vladimir Reukov
- Department of Bioengineering, Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina, United States of America
| | - Eric P. Benson
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Clemson University Clemson, South Carolina, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Patricia A. Zungoli
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Clemson University Clemson, South Carolina, United States of America
| | - William C. Bridges
- Department of Mathematical Sciences, Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina, United States of America
| | - Brittany R. Ellis
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Clemson University Clemson, South Carolina, United States of America
| | - Jinbo Song
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Clemson University Clemson, South Carolina, United States of America
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