Favre-Bulle IA, Scott EK. Optical tweezers across scales in cell biology.
Trends Cell Biol 2022;
32:932-946. [PMID:
35672197 PMCID:
PMC9588623 DOI:
10.1016/j.tcb.2022.05.001]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2022] [Revised: 05/02/2022] [Accepted: 05/04/2022] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Optical tweezers (OT) provide a noninvasive approach for delivering minute physical forces to targeted objects. Controlling such forces in living cells or in vitro preparations allows for the measurement and manipulation of numerous processes relevant to the form and function of cells. As such, OT have made important contributions to our understanding of the structures of proteins and nucleic acids, the interactions that occur between microscopic structures within cells, the choreography of complex processes such as mitosis, and the ways in which cells interact with each other. In this review, we highlight recent contributions made to the field of cell biology using OT and provide basic descriptions of the physics, the methods, and the equipment that made these studies possible.
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