1
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Thekkethil N, Köry J, Guo M, Stewart PS, Hill NA, Luo X. Modelling the rheology of living cell cytoplasm: poroviscoelasticity and fluid-to-solid transition. Biomech Model Mechanobiol 2024; 23:1551-1569. [PMID: 38976113 DOI: 10.1007/s10237-024-01854-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2023] [Accepted: 04/17/2024] [Indexed: 07/09/2024]
Abstract
Eukaryotic cell rheology has important consequences for vital processes such as adhesion, migration, and differentiation. Experiments indicate that cell cytoplasm can exhibit both elastic and viscous characteristics in different regimes, while the transport of fluid (cytosol) through the cross-linked filamentous scaffold (cytoskeleton) is reminiscent of mass transfer by diffusion through a porous medium. To gain insights into this complex rheological behaviour, we construct a computational model for the cell cytoplasm as a poroviscoelastic material formulated on the principles of nonlinear continuum mechanics, where we model the cytoplasm as a porous viscoelastic scaffold with an embedded viscous fluid flowing between the pores to model the cytosol. Baseline simulations (neglecting the viscosity of the cytosol) indicate that the system exhibits seven different regimes across the parameter space spanned by the viscoelastic relaxation timescale of the cytoskeleton and the poroelastic diffusion timescale; these regimes agree qualitatively with experimental measurements. Furthermore, the theoretical model also allows us to elucidate the additional role of pore fluid viscosity, which enters the system as a distinct viscous timescale. We show that increasing this viscous timescale hinders the passage of the pore fluid (reducing the poroelastic diffusion) and makes the cytoplasm rheology increasingly incompressible, shifting the phase boundaries between the regimes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Namshad Thekkethil
- School of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK.
| | - Jakub Köry
- School of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Ming Guo
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, USA
| | - Peter S Stewart
- School of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Nicholas A Hill
- School of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Xiaoyu Luo
- School of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
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2
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Rajput SS, Singh SB, Subramanyam D, Patil S. Soft glassy rheology of single cells with pathogenic protein aggregates. SOFT MATTER 2024; 20:6266-6274. [PMID: 39054893 DOI: 10.1039/d4sm00595c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/27/2024]
Abstract
A correlation between the mechanical properties of cells and various diseases has been emerging in recent years. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) has been widely used to measure a single cell's apparent Young's modulus by treating it as a fully elastic object. More recently, quantitative characterization of the complete viscoelasticity of single cells has become possible. We performed AFM-based nano-indentation experiments on hemocytes isolated from third instar larvae to determine their viscoelasticity and found that live hemocytes, like many other cells, follow a scale-free power-law rheology (PLR) akin to soft glasses. Further, we examined the changes in the rheological response of hemocytes in the presence of pathogenic protein aggregates known to cause neurodegenerative diseases such as Huntington's disorder and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Our results show that cells lose their fluidity and appear more solid-like in the presence of certain aggregates, in a manner correlated to actin reorganization. More solid-like cells also display reduced intracellular transport through clathrin-mediated endocytosis (CME). However, the cell's rheology remains largely unaffected and is similar to that of wild-type (WT) hemocytes, if aggregates do not perturb the actin organization and CME. Moreover, the fluid-like nature was significantly recovered when actin organization was rescued by overexpressing specific actin interacting proteins or chaperones. Our study, for the first time, underscores a direct correlation between parameters governing glassy dynamics, actin organization and CME.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shatruhan Singh Rajput
- Department of Physics, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Pune 411008, India
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, 80 Tennis Court Road, Cambridge, CB2 1GA, UK
| | - Surya Bansi Singh
- National Centre for Cell Science, SP Pune University Campus, Pune 411007, India.
- SP Pune University, Pune 411007, India
| | - Deepa Subramanyam
- National Centre for Cell Science, SP Pune University Campus, Pune 411007, India.
| | - Shivprasad Patil
- Department of Physics, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Pune 411008, India.
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3
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Flormann DAD, Kainka L, Montalvo G, Anton C, Rheinlaender J, Thalla D, Vesperini D, Pohland MO, Kaub KH, Schu M, Pezzano F, Ruprecht V, Terriac E, Hawkins RJ, Lautenschläger F. The structure and mechanics of the cell cortex depend on the location and adhesion state. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2320372121. [PMID: 39042691 PMCID: PMC11295003 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2320372121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2023] [Accepted: 06/16/2024] [Indexed: 07/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Cells exist in different phenotypes and can transition between them. A phenotype may be characterized by many different aspects. Here, we focus on the example of whether the cell is adhered or suspended and choose particular parameters related to the structure and mechanics of the actin cortex. The cortex is essential to cell mechanics, morphology, and function, such as for adhesion, migration, and division of animal cells. To predict and control cellular functions and prevent malfunctioning, it is necessary to understand the actin cortex. The structure of the cortex governs cell mechanics; however, the relationship between the architecture and mechanics of the cortex is not yet well enough understood to be able to predict one from the other. Therefore, we quantitatively measured structural and mechanical cortex parameters, including cortical thickness, cortex mesh size, actin bundling, and cortex stiffness. These measurements required developing a combination of measurement techniques in scanning electron, expansion, confocal, and atomic force microscopy. We found that the structure and mechanics of the cortex of cells in interphase are different depending on whether the cell is suspended or adhered. We deduced general correlations between structural and mechanical properties and show how these findings can be explained within the framework of semiflexible polymer network theory. We tested the model predictions by perturbing the properties of the actin within the cortex using compounds. Our work provides an important step toward predictions of cell mechanics from cortical structures and suggests how cortex remodeling between different phenotypes impacts the mechanical properties of cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- D. A. D. Flormann
- Department of Physics, Saarland University, Saarbrücken 66123, Germany
| | - L. Kainka
- Department of Physics, Saarland University, Saarbrücken 66123, Germany
| | - G. Montalvo
- Department of Physics, Saarland University, Saarbrücken 66123, Germany
| | - C. Anton
- Department of Physics, Saarland University, Saarbrücken 66123, Germany
| | - J. Rheinlaender
- Faculty of Science, Institute of Applied Physics, University of Tübingen, Tübingen72076, Germany
| | - D. Thalla
- Department of Physics, Saarland University, Saarbrücken 66123, Germany
| | - D. Vesperini
- Department of Physics, Saarland University, Saarbrücken 66123, Germany
| | - M. O. Pohland
- Department of Physics, Saarland University, Saarbrücken 66123, Germany
| | - K. H. Kaub
- Department of Physics, Saarland University, Saarbrücken 66123, Germany
- Department of Biophysical Chemistry, Georg-August-University, Göttingen37077, Germany
| | - M. Schu
- Department of Physics, Saarland University, Saarbrücken 66123, Germany
| | - F. Pezzano
- Center for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona08003, Spain
| | - V. Ruprecht
- Center for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona08003, Spain
- Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona08002, Spain
- Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats (ICREA), Barcelona08010, Spain
| | - E. Terriac
- Department of Physics, Saarland University, Saarbrücken 66123, Germany
| | - R. J. Hawkins
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Sheffield, SheffieldS3 7RH, United Kingdom
- African Institute for Mathematical Sciences, Accra20046, Ghana
| | - F. Lautenschläger
- Department of Physics, Saarland University, Saarbrücken 66123, Germany
- Center for Biophysics, Saarland University, Saarbrücken66123, Germany
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4
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Rahman AM, Akib YM, Bedsole CO, Pei Z, Shaw BD, Ufodike CO, Castell-Perez E. Effects of Incorporating Ionic Crosslinking on 3D Printing of Biomass-Fungi Composite Materials. Biomimetics (Basel) 2024; 9:411. [PMID: 39056852 PMCID: PMC11274481 DOI: 10.3390/biomimetics9070411] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2024] [Revised: 06/27/2024] [Accepted: 07/03/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Biomass-fungi composite materials primarily consist of biomass particles (sourced from agricultural residues) and a network of fungal hyphae that bind the biomass particles together. These materials have potential applications across diverse industries, such as packaging, furniture, and construction. 3D printing offers a new approach to manufacturing parts using biomass-fungi composite materials, as an alternative to traditional molding-based methods. However, there are challenges in producing parts with desired quality (for example, geometric accuracy after printing and height shrinkage several days after printing) by using 3D printing-based methods. This paper introduces an innovative approach to enhance part quality by incorporating ionic crosslinking into the 3D printing-based methods. While ionic crosslinking has been explored in hydrogel-based bioprinting, its application in biomass-fungi composite materials has not been reported. Using sodium alginate (SA) as the hydrogel and calcium chloride as the crosslinking agent, this paper investigates their effects on quality (geometric accuracy and height shrinkage) of 3D printed samples and physiochemical characteristics (rheological, chemical, and texture properties) of biomass-fungi composite materials. Results show that increasing SA concentration led to significant improvements in both geometric accuracy and height shrinkage of 3D printed samples. Moreover, crosslinking exposure significantly enhanced hardness of the biomass-fungi mixture samples prepared for texture profile analysis, while the inclusion of SA notably improved cohesiveness and springiness of the biomass-fungi mixture samples. Furthermore, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy confirms the occurrence of ionic crosslinking within 3D printed samples. Results from this study can be used as a reference for developing new biomass-fungi mixtures for 3D printing in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Al Mazedur Rahman
- Department of Industrial & Systems Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA; (A.M.R.); (Y.M.A.)
| | - Yeasir Mohammad Akib
- Department of Industrial & Systems Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA; (A.M.R.); (Y.M.A.)
| | - Caleb Oliver Bedsole
- Department of Plant Pathology and Microbiology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77845, USA; (C.O.B.); (B.D.S.)
| | - Zhijian Pei
- Department of Industrial & Systems Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA; (A.M.R.); (Y.M.A.)
| | - Brian D. Shaw
- Department of Plant Pathology and Microbiology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77845, USA; (C.O.B.); (B.D.S.)
| | - Chukwuzubelu Okenwa Ufodike
- Department of Engineering Technology and Industrial Distribution, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA;
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
| | - Elena Castell-Perez
- Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA;
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5
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Chang Z, Li LY, Shi ZJ, Liu W, Xu GK. Beyond stiffness: Multiscale viscoelastic features as biomechanical markers for assessing cell types and states. Biophys J 2024; 123:1869-1881. [PMID: 38835167 PMCID: PMC11267428 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2024.05.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2024] [Revised: 05/14/2024] [Accepted: 05/30/2024] [Indexed: 06/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Cell mechanics are pivotal in regulating cellular activities, diseases progression, and cancer development. However, the understanding of how cellular viscoelastic properties vary in physiological and pathological stimuli remains scarce. Here, we develop a hybrid self-similar hierarchical theory-microrheology approach to accurately and efficiently characterize cellular viscoelasticity. Focusing on two key cell types associated with livers fibrosis-the capillarized liver sinusoidal endothelial cells and activated hepatic stellate cells-we uncover a universal two-stage power-law rheology characterized by two distinct exponents, αshort and αlong. The mechanical profiles derived from both exponents exhibit significant potential for discriminating among diverse cells. This finding suggests a potential common dynamic creep characteristic across biological systems, extending our earlier observations in soft tissues. Using a tailored hierarchical model for cellular mechanical structures, we discern significant variations in the viscoelastic properties and their distribution profiles across different cell types and states from the cytoplasm (elastic stiffness E1 and viscosity η), to a single cytoskeleton fiber (elastic stiffness E2), and then to the cell level (transverse expansion stiffness E3). Importantly, we construct a logistic-regression-based machine-learning model using the dynamic parameters that outperforms conventional cell-stiffness-based classifiers in assessing cell states, achieving an area under the curve of 97% vs. 78%. Our findings not only advance a robust framework for monitoring intricate cell dynamics but also highlight the crucial role of cellular viscoelasticity in discerning cell states across a spectrum of liver diseases and prognosis, offering new avenues for developing diagnostic and therapeutic strategies based on cellular viscoelasticity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhuo Chang
- Laboratory for Multiscale Mechanics and Medical Science, Department of Engineering Mechanics, State Key Laboratory for Strength and Vibration of Mechanical Structures, School of Aerospace Engineering, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
| | - Li-Ya Li
- Institute for Stem Cell & Regenerative Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
| | - Zhi-Jun Shi
- Laboratory for Multiscale Mechanics and Medical Science, Department of Engineering Mechanics, State Key Laboratory for Strength and Vibration of Mechanical Structures, School of Aerospace Engineering, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
| | - Wenjia Liu
- Institute for Stem Cell & Regenerative Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China.
| | - Guang-Kui Xu
- Laboratory for Multiscale Mechanics and Medical Science, Department of Engineering Mechanics, State Key Laboratory for Strength and Vibration of Mechanical Structures, School of Aerospace Engineering, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China.
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6
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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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7
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Wohlrab S, Mueller S, Gekle S. Mechanical complexity of living cells can be mapped onto simple homogeneous equivalents. Biomech Model Mechanobiol 2024; 23:1067-1076. [PMID: 38411900 PMCID: PMC11101590 DOI: 10.1007/s10237-024-01823-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2023] [Accepted: 01/19/2024] [Indexed: 02/28/2024]
Abstract
Biological cells are built up from different constituents of varying size and stiffness which all contribute to the cell's mechanical properties. Despite this heterogeneity, in the analysis of experimental measurements one often assumes a strongly simplified homogeneous cell and thus a single elastic modulus is assigned to the entire cell. This ad-hoc simplification has so far mostly been used without proper justification. Here, we use computer simulations to show that indeed a mechanically heterogeneous cell can effectively be replaced by a homogeneous equivalent cell with a volume averaged elastic modulus. To demonstrate the validity of this approach, we investigate a hyperelastic cell with a heterogeneous interior under compression and in shear/channel flow mimicking atomic force and microfluidic measurements, respectively. We find that the homogeneous equivalent cell reproduces quantitatively the behavior of its heterogeneous counterpart, and that this equality is largely independent of the stiffness or spatial distribution of the heterogeneity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastian Wohlrab
- Theoretische Physik VI, Biofluid Simulation and Modeling, Universität Bayreuth, 95440, Bayreuth, Germany.
| | - Sebastian Mueller
- Theoretische Physik VI, Biofluid Simulation and Modeling, Universität Bayreuth, 95440, Bayreuth, Germany
| | - Stephan Gekle
- Theoretische Physik VI, Biofluid Simulation and Modeling, Universität Bayreuth, 95440, Bayreuth, Germany
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8
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Zeng Y, Liu X, Wang Z, Gao W, Zhang S, Wang Y, Liu Y, Yu H. Multi-scale characterization and analysis of cellular viscoelastic mechanical phenotypes by atomic force microscopy. Microsc Res Tech 2024; 87:1157-1167. [PMID: 38284615 DOI: 10.1002/jemt.24505] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2023] [Revised: 01/14/2024] [Accepted: 01/16/2024] [Indexed: 01/30/2024]
Abstract
The viscoelasticity of cells serves as a biomarker that reveals changes induced by malignant transformation, which aids the cytological examinations. However, differences in the measurement methods and parameters have prevented the consistent and effective characterization of the viscoelastic phenotype of cells. To address this issue, nanomechanical indentation experiments were conducted using an atomic force microscope (AFM). Multiple indentation methods were applied, and the indentation parameters were gradually varied to measure the viscoelasticity of normal liver cells and cancerous liver cells to create a database. This database was employed to train machine-learning algorithms in order to analyze the differences in the viscoelasticity of different types of cells and as well as to identify the optimal measurement methods and parameters. These findings indicated that the measurement speed significantly influenced viscoelasticity and that the classification difference between the two cell types was most evident at 5 μm/s. In addition, the precision and the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve were comparatively analyzed for various widely employed machine-learning algorithms. Unlike previous studies, this research validated the effectiveness of measurement parameters and methods with the assistance of machine-learning algorithms. Furthermore, the results confirmed that the viscoelasticity obtained from the multiparameter indentation measurement could be effectively used for cell classification. RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS: This study aimed to analyze the viscoelasticity of liver cancer cells and liver cells. Different nano-indentation methods and parameters were used to measure the viscoelasticity of the two kinds of cells. The neural network algorithm was used to reverse analyze the dataset, and the methods and parameters for accurate classification and identification of cells are successfully found.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Zeng
- International Research Centre for Nano Handling and Manufacturing of China, Changchun University of Science and Technology, Changchun, China
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Cross-Scale Micro and Nano Manufacturing, Changchun University of Science and Technology, Changchun, China
| | - Xianping Liu
- School of Engineering, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK
| | - Zuobin Wang
- International Research Centre for Nano Handling and Manufacturing of China, Changchun University of Science and Technology, Changchun, China
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Cross-Scale Micro and Nano Manufacturing, Changchun University of Science and Technology, Changchun, China
- JR3CN & IRAC, University of Bedfordshire, Luton, UK
| | - Wei Gao
- School of Electronic Information Engineering, Changchun University of Science and Technology, Changchun, China
- School of Electronic Information Engineering, Changchun University, Changchun, China
| | - Shengli Zhang
- International Research Centre for Nano Handling and Manufacturing of China, Changchun University of Science and Technology, Changchun, China
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Cross-Scale Micro and Nano Manufacturing, Changchun University of Science and Technology, Changchun, China
| | - Ying Wang
- International Research Centre for Nano Handling and Manufacturing of China, Changchun University of Science and Technology, Changchun, China
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Cross-Scale Micro and Nano Manufacturing, Changchun University of Science and Technology, Changchun, China
| | - Yunqing Liu
- School of Electronic Information Engineering, Changchun University of Science and Technology, Changchun, China
| | - Haiyue Yu
- International Research Centre for Nano Handling and Manufacturing of China, Changchun University of Science and Technology, Changchun, China
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Cross-Scale Micro and Nano Manufacturing, Changchun University of Science and Technology, Changchun, China
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9
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Lima I, Silva A, Sousa F, Ferreira W, Freire R, de Oliveira C, de Sousa J. Measuring the viscoelastic relaxation function of cells with a time-dependent interpretation of the Hertz-Sneddon indentation model. Heliyon 2024; 10:e30623. [PMID: 38770291 PMCID: PMC11103437 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e30623] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2024] [Revised: 04/15/2024] [Accepted: 04/30/2024] [Indexed: 05/22/2024] Open
Abstract
The Hertz-Sneddon elastic indentation model is widely adopted in the biomechanical investigation of living cells and other soft materials using atomic force microscopy despite the explicit viscoelastic nature of these materials. In this work, we demonstrate that an exact analytical viscoelastic force model for power-law materials, can be interpreted as a time-dependent Hertz-Sneddon-like model. Characterizing fibroblasts (L929) and osteoblasts (OFCOLII) demonstrates the model's accuracy. Our results show that the difference between Young's modulus E Y obtained by fitting force curves with the Hertz-Sneddon model and the effective Young's modulus derived from the viscoelastic force model is less than 3%, even when cells are probed at large forces where nonlinear deformation effects become significant. We also propose a measurement protocol that involves probing samples at different indentation speeds and forces, enabling the construction of the average viscoelastic relaxation function of samples by conveniently fitting the force curves with the Hertz-Sneddon model.
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Affiliation(s)
- I.V.M. Lima
- Departamento de Física, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Fortaleza, 60440-900, Ceará, Brazil
| | - A.V.S. Silva
- Departamento de Física, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Fortaleza, 60440-900, Ceará, Brazil
- Instituto Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Pau dos Ferros, 59900-000, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil
| | - F.D. Sousa
- Núcleo de Biologia Experimental, Universidade de Fortaleza, Fortaleza, 60811-905, Ceará, Brazil
| | - W.P. Ferreira
- Departamento de Física, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Fortaleza, 60440-900, Ceará, Brazil
| | - R.S. Freire
- Central Analítica, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Fortaleza, 60440-900, Ceará, Brazil
| | - C.L.N. de Oliveira
- Departamento de Física, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Fortaleza, 60440-900, Ceará, Brazil
| | - J.S. de Sousa
- Departamento de Física, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Fortaleza, 60440-900, Ceará, Brazil
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10
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Siboni H, Ruseska I, Zimmer A. Atomic Force Microscopy for the Study of Cell Mechanics in Pharmaceutics. Pharmaceutics 2024; 16:733. [PMID: 38931854 PMCID: PMC11207904 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics16060733] [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: 03/26/2024] [Revised: 05/15/2024] [Accepted: 05/17/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Cell mechanics is gaining attraction in drug screening, but the applicable methods have not yet become part of the standardized norm. This review presents the current state of the art for atomic force microscopy, which is the most widely available method. The field is first motivated as a new way of tracking pharmaceutical effects, followed by a basic introduction targeted at pharmacists on how to measure cellular stiffness. The review then moves on to the current state of the knowledge in terms of experimental results and supplementary methods such as fluorescence microscopy that can give relevant additional information. Finally, rheological approaches as well as the theoretical interpretations are presented before ending on additional methods and outlooks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Henrik Siboni
- Pharmaceutical Technology & Biopharmacy, Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Graz, 8010 Graz, Austria; (H.S.); (I.R.)
- Single Molecule Chemistry, Institute of Chemistry, University of Graz, 8010 Graz, Austria
| | - Ivana Ruseska
- Pharmaceutical Technology & Biopharmacy, Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Graz, 8010 Graz, Austria; (H.S.); (I.R.)
| | - Andreas Zimmer
- Pharmaceutical Technology & Biopharmacy, Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Graz, 8010 Graz, Austria; (H.S.); (I.R.)
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11
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Seizer P, von Ungern-Sternberg SNI, Haug V, Dicenta V, Rosa A, Butt E, Nöthel M, Rohlfing AK, Sigle M, Nawroth PP, Nussbaum C, Sperandio M, Kusch C, Meub M, Sauer M, Münzer P, Bieber K, Stanger A, Mack AF, Huber R, Brand K, Lehners M, Feil R, Poso A, Krutzke K, Schäffer TE, Nieswandt B, Borst O, May AE, Zernecke A, Gawaz M, Heinzmann D. Cyclophilin A is a ligand for RAGE in thrombo-inflammation. Cardiovasc Res 2024; 120:385-402. [PMID: 38175781 DOI: 10.1093/cvr/cvad189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2023] [Revised: 10/08/2023] [Accepted: 10/20/2023] [Indexed: 01/06/2024] Open
Abstract
AIMS Cyclophilin A (CyPA) induces leucocyte recruitment and platelet activation upon release into the extracellular space. Extracellular CyPA therefore plays a critical role in immuno-inflammatory responses in tissue injury and thrombosis upon platelet activation. To date, CD147 (EMMPRIN) has been described as the primary receptor mediating extracellular effects of CyPA in platelets and leucocytes. The receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE) shares inflammatory and prothrombotic properties and has also been found to have similar ligands as CD147. In this study, we investigated the role of RAGE as a previously unknown interaction partner for CyPA. METHODS AND RESULTS Confocal imaging, proximity ligation, co-immunoprecipitation, and atomic force microscopy were performed and demonstrated an interaction of CyPA with RAGE on the cell surface. Static and dynamic cell adhesion and chemotaxis assays towards extracellular CyPA using human leucocytes and leucocytes from RAGE-deficient Ager-/- mice were conducted. Inhibition of RAGE abrogated CyPA-induced effects on leucocyte adhesion and chemotaxis in vitro. Accordingly, Ager-/- mice showed reduced leucocyte recruitment and endothelial adhesion towards CyPA in vivo. In wild-type mice, we observed a downregulation of RAGE on leucocytes when endogenous extracellular CyPA was reduced. We furthermore evaluated the role of RAGE for platelet activation and thrombus formation upon CyPA stimulation. CyPA-induced activation of platelets was found to be dependent on RAGE, as inhibition of RAGE, as well as platelets from Ager-/- mice showed a diminished activation and thrombus formation upon CyPA stimulation. CyPA-induced signalling through RAGE was found to involve central signalling pathways including the adaptor protein MyD88, intracellular Ca2+ signalling, and NF-κB activation. CONCLUSION We propose RAGE as a hitherto unknown receptor for CyPA mediating leucocyte as well as platelet activation. The CyPA-RAGE interaction thus represents a novel mechanism in thrombo-inflammation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter Seizer
- Department of Cardiology and Angiology, Universitätsklinikum Tübingen, Eberhard Karls University Tübingen, Otfried-Müller-Str. 10, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
- Department of Cardiology and Angiology, Ostalbklinikum Aalen, Aalen, Germany
| | - Saskia N I von Ungern-Sternberg
- Department of Cardiology and Angiology, Universitätsklinikum Tübingen, Eberhard Karls University Tübingen, Otfried-Müller-Str. 10, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Verena Haug
- Department of Cardiology and Angiology, Universitätsklinikum Tübingen, Eberhard Karls University Tübingen, Otfried-Müller-Str. 10, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Valerie Dicenta
- Department of Cardiology and Angiology, Universitätsklinikum Tübingen, Eberhard Karls University Tübingen, Otfried-Müller-Str. 10, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Annabelle Rosa
- Institute of Experimental Biomedicine, University Hospital Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Elke Butt
- Institute of Experimental Biomedicine, University Hospital Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Moritz Nöthel
- Department of Internal Medicine II, Cardiology, Pneumology, Angiology, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Anne-Katrin Rohlfing
- Department of Cardiology and Angiology, Universitätsklinikum Tübingen, Eberhard Karls University Tübingen, Otfried-Müller-Str. 10, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Manuel Sigle
- Department of Cardiology and Angiology, Universitätsklinikum Tübingen, Eberhard Karls University Tübingen, Otfried-Müller-Str. 10, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Peter P Nawroth
- Department of Internal Medicine 1 and Clinical Chemistry, University Hospital of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
- German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD), Munich-Neuherberg, Germany
- Joint Heidelberg-ICD Translational Diabetes Program, Helmholtz-Zentrum, Munich, Germany
| | - Claudia Nussbaum
- Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, Dr. von Hauner Children's Hospital, LMU University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Markus Sperandio
- Institute of Cardiovascular Physiology and Pathophysiology, Ludwig-Maximilians University Munich, Munich, Germany
- German Centre for Cardiovascular Research (Deutsches Zentrum für Herz-Kreislauf-Forschung, DZHK), Munich Heart Alliance Partner Site, Munich, Germany
| | - Charly Kusch
- Institute of Experimental Biomedicine, University Hospital Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Mara Meub
- Department of Biotechnology und Biophysics, Julius-Maximilians University, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Markus Sauer
- Department of Biotechnology und Biophysics, Julius-Maximilians University, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Patrick Münzer
- Department of Cardiology and Angiology, Universitätsklinikum Tübingen, Eberhard Karls University Tübingen, Otfried-Müller-Str. 10, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
- DFG Heisenberg Group Cardiovascular Thromboinflammation and Translational Thrombocardiology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Kristin Bieber
- Department of Hematology, Oncology, Immunology und Pulmonology, Universitätsklinikum Tübingen, Eberhard Karls University Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Anna Stanger
- Department of Hematology, Oncology, Immunology und Pulmonology, Universitätsklinikum Tübingen, Eberhard Karls University Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Andreas F Mack
- Institute of Clinical Anatomy and Cell Analytics, Eberhard Karls University Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - René Huber
- Institute of Clinical Chemistry, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Korbinian Brand
- Institute of Clinical Chemistry, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Moritz Lehners
- Interfakultäres Institut für Biochemie, Eberhard Karls University Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Robert Feil
- Interfakultäres Institut für Biochemie, Eberhard Karls University Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Antti Poso
- Department of Internal Medicine VIII, University Hospital of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
- School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Medicinal Chemistry, Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Eberhard Karls University Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Medicinal Chemistry, Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Eberhard Karls University, Tübingen, Germany
- Tübingen Center for Academic Drug Discovery & Development (TüCAD2), Tübingen, Germany
- Excellence Cluster 'Controlling Microbes to Fight Infections' (CMFI), Tübingen, Germany
| | - Konstantin Krutzke
- Institute of Applied Physics, Eberhard Karls University Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Tilman E Schäffer
- Institute of Applied Physics, Eberhard Karls University Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Bernhard Nieswandt
- Institute of Experimental Biomedicine, University Hospital Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
- Rudolf Virchow Center, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Oliver Borst
- Department of Cardiology and Angiology, Universitätsklinikum Tübingen, Eberhard Karls University Tübingen, Otfried-Müller-Str. 10, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
- DFG Heisenberg Group Cardiovascular Thromboinflammation and Translational Thrombocardiology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Andreas E May
- Department of Cardiology, Innere Medizin I, Klinikum Memmingen, Memmingen, Germany
| | - Alma Zernecke
- Institute of Experimental Biomedicine, University Hospital Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Meinrad Gawaz
- Department of Cardiology and Angiology, Universitätsklinikum Tübingen, Eberhard Karls University Tübingen, Otfried-Müller-Str. 10, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - David Heinzmann
- Department of Cardiology and Angiology, Universitätsklinikum Tübingen, Eberhard Karls University Tübingen, Otfried-Müller-Str. 10, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
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12
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Brás MM, Sousa A, Cruz TB, Michalewski J, Leite M, Sousa SR, Granja PL, Radmacher M. Microrheological comparison of melanoma cells by atomic force microscopy. J Biol Phys 2024; 50:55-69. [PMID: 38240860 PMCID: PMC10864228 DOI: 10.1007/s10867-023-09648-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2023] [Accepted: 11/21/2023] [Indexed: 02/15/2024] Open
Abstract
Melanoma is one of the most severe cancers due to its great potential to form metastasis. Recent studies showed the importance of mechanical property assessment in metastasis formation which depends on the cytoskeleton dynamics and cell migration. Although cells are considered purely elastic, they are viscoelastic entities. Microrheology atomic force microscopy (AFM) enables the assessment of elasticity and viscous properties, which are relevant to cell behavior regulation. The current work compares the mechanical properties of human neonatal primary melanocytes (HNPMs) with two melanoma cell lines (WM793B and 1205LU cells), using microrheology AFM. Immunocytochemistry of F-actin filaments and phosphorylated focal adhesion kinase (p-FAK) and cell migration assays were performed to understand the differences found in microrheology AFM regarding the tumor cell lines tested. AFM revealed that HNPMs and tumor cell lines had distinct mechanical properties. HNPMs were softer, less viscous, presenting a higher power-law than melanoma cells. Immunostaining showed that metastatic 1205LU cells expressed more p-FAK than WM793B cells. Melanoma cell migration assays showed that WM73B did not close the gap, in contrast to 1205LU cells, which closed the gap at the end of 23 h. These data seem to corroborate the high migratory behavior of 1205LU cells. Microrheology AFM applied to HNPMs and melanoma cells allowed the quantification of elasticity, viscous properties, glassy phase, and power-law properties, which have an impact in cell migration and metastasis formation. AFM study is important since it can be used as a biomarker of the different stages of the disease in melanoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Manuela Brás
- Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde (i3S), Universidade do Porto, Porto, 4200-135, Portugal
- Faculdade de Engenharia da Universidade do Porto (FEUP), Porto, 4200-465, Portugal
| | - Aureliana Sousa
- Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde (i3S), Universidade do Porto, Porto, 4200-135, Portugal
| | - Tânia B Cruz
- Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde (i3S), Universidade do Porto, Porto, 4200-135, Portugal
| | - Jonas Michalewski
- Institute of Biophysics, University of Bremen, Bremen, 28334, Germany
| | - Marina Leite
- Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde (i3S), Universidade do Porto, Porto, 4200-135, Portugal
| | - Susana R Sousa
- Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde (i3S), Universidade do Porto, Porto, 4200-135, Portugal
- Instituto Superior de Engenharia do Porto (ISEP), Instituto Politécnico do Porto, Porto, 4200-072, Portugal
| | - Pedro L Granja
- Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde (i3S), Universidade do Porto, Porto, 4200-135, Portugal
| | - Manfred Radmacher
- Institute of Biophysics, University of Bremen, Bremen, 28334, Germany.
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13
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Gisbert VG, Espinosa FM, Sanchez JG, Serrano MC, Garcia R. Nanorheology and Nanoindentation Revealed a Softening and an Increased Viscous Fluidity of Adherent Mammalian Cells upon Increasing the Frequency. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2024; 20:e2304884. [PMID: 37775942 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202304884] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2023] [Revised: 09/01/2023] [Indexed: 10/01/2023]
Abstract
The nanomechanical response of a cell depends on the frequency at which the cell is probed. The components of the cell that contribute to this property and their interplay are not well understood. Here, two force microscopy methods are integrated to characterize the frequency and/or the velocity-dependent properties of living cells. It is shown on HeLa and fibroblasts, that cells soften and fluidize upon increasing the frequency or the velocity of the deformation. This property was independent of the type and values (25 or 1000 nm) of the deformation. At low frequencies (2-10 Hz) or velocities (1-10 µm s-1 ), the response is dominated by the mechanical properties of the cell surface. At higher frequencies (>10 Hz) or velocities (>10 µm s-1 ), the response is dominated by the hydrodynamic drag of the cytosol. Softening and fluidization does not seem to involve any structural remodeling. It reflects a redistribution of the applied stress between the solid and liquid-like elements of the cell as the frequency or the velocity is changed. The data indicates that the quasistatic mechanical properties of a cell featuring a cytoskeleton pathology might be mimicked by the response of a non-pathological cell which is probed at a high frequency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victor G Gisbert
- Instituto de Ciencia de Materiales de Madrid, CSIC, c/ Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz 3, Madrid, 28049, Spain
| | - Francsico M Espinosa
- Instituto de Ciencia de Materiales de Madrid, CSIC, c/ Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz 3, Madrid, 28049, Spain
| | - Juan G Sanchez
- Instituto de Ciencia de Materiales de Madrid, CSIC, c/ Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz 3, Madrid, 28049, Spain
| | - Maria Concepcion Serrano
- Instituto de Ciencia de Materiales de Madrid, CSIC, c/ Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz 3, Madrid, 28049, Spain
| | - Ricardo Garcia
- Instituto de Ciencia de Materiales de Madrid, CSIC, c/ Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz 3, Madrid, 28049, Spain
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14
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Feng J, Sun Q, Chen P, Ren K, Zhang Y, Shi Y, Gao S, Song Z, Wang J, Liao F, Han D. Characterization of Cancer Cell Mechanics by Measuring Active Deformation Behavior. SMALL METHODS 2024; 8:e2300520. [PMID: 37775303 DOI: 10.1002/smtd.202300520] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2023] [Revised: 08/17/2023] [Indexed: 10/01/2023]
Abstract
Active deformation behavior reflects cell structural dynamics adapting to varying environmental constraints during malignancy progression. In most cases, cell mechanics is characterized by modeling using static equilibrium systems, which fails to comprehend cell deformation behavior leading to inaccuracies in distinguishing cancer cells from normal cells. Here, a method is introduced to measure the active deformation behavior of cancer cells using atomic force microscopy (AFM) and the newly developed deformation behavior cytometry (DBC). During the measurement, cells are deformed and allows a long timescale relaxation (≈5 s). Two parameters are derived to represent deformation behavior: apparent Poisson's ratio for adherent cells, which is measured with AFM and refers to the ratio of the lateral strain to the longitudinal strain of the cell, and shape recovery for suspended cells, which is measured with DBC. Active deformation behavior defines cancer cell mechanics better than traditional mechanical parameters (e.g., stiffness, diffusion, and viscosity). Additionally, aquaporins are essential for promoting the deformation behavior, while the actin cytoskeleton acts as a downstream effector. Therefore, the potential application of the cancer cell active deformation behavior as a biomechanical marker or therapeutic target in cancer treatment should be evaluated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiantao Feng
- Artemisinin Research Center and Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100700, China
| | - Quanmei Sun
- CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, Beijing, 100190, China
| | - Peipei Chen
- CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, Beijing, 100190, China
| | - Keli Ren
- The Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, China
| | - Yuanyuan Zhang
- Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100021, China
| | - Yahong Shi
- CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, Beijing, 100190, China
| | - Songkun Gao
- Beijing Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100006, China
| | - Zhiwei Song
- CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, Beijing, 100190, China
| | - Jigang Wang
- Artemisinin Research Center and Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100700, China
| | - Fulong Liao
- Artemisinin Research Center and Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100700, China
| | - Dong Han
- CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, Beijing, 100190, China
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15
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Walther BK, Sears AP, Mojiri A, Avazmohammadi R, Gu J, Chumakova OV, Pandian NKR, Dominic A, Martiel JL, Yazdani SK, Cooke JP, Ohayon J, Pettigrew RI. Disrupted Stiffness Ratio Alters Nuclear Mechanosensing. MATTER 2023; 6:3608-3630. [PMID: 37937235 PMCID: PMC10627551 DOI: 10.1016/j.matt.2023.08.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2023]
Abstract
The ability of endothelial cells to sense and respond to dynamic changes in blood flow is critical for vascular homeostasis and cardiovascular health. The mechanical and geometric properties of the nuclear and cytoplasmic compartments affect mechanotransduction. We hypothesized that alterations to these parameters have resulting mechanosensory consequences. Using atomic force microscopy and mathematical modeling, we assessed how the nuclear and cytoplasmic compartment stiffnesses modulate shear stress transfer to the nucleus within aging endothelial cells. Our computational studies revealed that the critical parameter controlling shear transfer is not the individual mechanics of these compartments, but the stiffness ratio between them. Replicatively aged cells had a reduced stiffness ratio, attenuating shear transfer, while the ratio was not altered in a genetic model of accelerated aging. We provide a theoretical framework suggesting that dysregulation of the shear stress response can be uniquely imparted by relative mechanical changes in subcellular compartments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brandon K. Walther
- Center for Cardiovascular Regeneration, Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, Houston Methodist Research Institute, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Texas A&M University, Department of Biomedical Engineering, College Station, TX 77843, USA
| | - Adam P. Sears
- Texas A&M University, Department of Biomedical Engineering, College Station, TX 77843, USA
- Houston Methodist Hospital, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Anahita Mojiri
- Center for Cardiovascular Regeneration, Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, Houston Methodist Research Institute, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Reza Avazmohammadi
- Center for Cardiovascular Regeneration, Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, Houston Methodist Research Institute, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Texas A&M University, Department of Biomedical Engineering, College Station, TX 77843, USA
- Texas A&M University, Department of Mechanical Engineering, College Station, TX 77843, USA
| | - Jianhua Gu
- Center for Cardiovascular Regeneration, Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, Houston Methodist Research Institute, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Olga V. Chumakova
- University of Texas Health Science Center, Department of Integrative Biology and Pharmacology, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | | | - Abishai Dominic
- Center for Cardiovascular Regeneration, Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, Houston Methodist Research Institute, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | | | - Saami K. Yazdani
- Wake Forest University, Department of Engineering, Winston-Salem, NC 27101, USA
| | - John P. Cooke
- Center for Cardiovascular Regeneration, Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, Houston Methodist Research Institute, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Texas A&M University, Department of Biomedical Engineering, College Station, TX 77843, USA
| | - Jacques Ohayon
- Center for Cardiovascular Regeneration, Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, Houston Methodist Research Institute, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- University Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, TIMC UMR 5525, 38000 Grenoble, France
- Savoie Mont-Blanc University, Polytech Annecy-Chambéry, 73376 Le Bourget du Lac, France
| | - Roderic I. Pettigrew
- Center for Cardiovascular Regeneration, Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, Houston Methodist Research Institute, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Texas A&M University, Department of Biomedical Engineering, College Station, TX 77843, USA
- Houston Methodist Hospital, Houston, TX 77030, USA
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16
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Chang Z, Zhang J, Liu Y, Gao H, Xu GK. New Mechanical Markers for Tracking the Progression of Myocardial Infarction. NANO LETTERS 2023; 23:7350-7357. [PMID: 37580044 PMCID: PMC10450805 DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.3c01712] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2023] [Revised: 08/09/2023] [Indexed: 08/16/2023]
Abstract
The mechanical properties of soft tissues can often be strongly correlated with the progression of various diseases, such as myocardial infarction (MI). However, the dynamic mechanical properties of cardiac tissues during MI progression remain poorly understood. Herein, we investigate the rheological responses of cardiac tissues at different stages of MI (i.e., early-stage, mid-stage, and late-stage) with atomic force microscopy-based microrheology. Surprisingly, we discover that all cardiac tissues exhibit a universal two-stage power-law rheological behavior at different time scales. The experimentally found power-law exponents can capture an inconspicuous initial rheological change, making them particularly suitable as markers for early-stage MI diagnosis. We further develop a self-similar hierarchical model to characterize the progressive mechanical changes from subcellular to tissue scales. The theoretically calculated mechanical indexes are found to markedly vary among different stages of MI. These new mechanical markers are applicable for tracking the subtle changes of cardiac tissues during MI progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhuo Chang
- Laboratory
for Multiscale Mechanics and Medical Science, State Key Laboratory
for Strength and Vibration of Mechanical Structures, School of Aerospace
Engineering, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710049, China
| | - Jing Zhang
- Department
of Cardiovascular Medicine, The First Affiliated
Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, 710061, China
| | - Yilun Liu
- Laboratory
for Multiscale Mechanics and Medical Science, State Key Laboratory
for Strength and Vibration of Mechanical Structures, School of Aerospace
Engineering, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710049, China
| | - Huajian Gao
- School
of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, College of Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 639798, Singapore
- Institute
of High Performance Computing, A*STAR, Singapore 138632, Singapore
| | - Guang-Kui Xu
- Laboratory
for Multiscale Mechanics and Medical Science, State Key Laboratory
for Strength and Vibration of Mechanical Structures, School of Aerospace
Engineering, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710049, China
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17
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Zhang S, Weng Z, Wang Z, Wang B, Zeng Y, Li J, Hu C. Attenuation of alcohol-induced hepatocyte damage by ginsenoside Rg1 evaluated using atomic force microscopy. Microsc Res Tech 2023; 86:1037-1046. [PMID: 37382340 DOI: 10.1002/jemt.24381] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2023] [Revised: 06/15/2023] [Accepted: 06/16/2023] [Indexed: 06/30/2023]
Abstract
Alcoholic liver disease is an important cause of death worldwide. Hepatocyte apoptosis is commonly observed in alcoholic liver disease. In this study, we investigated the effect of ginsenoside Rg1 (G-Rg1), an organic component of ginseng, on the alcohol-induced morphological and biophysical properties of hepatocytes. Human hepatocytes (HL-7702) were treated in vitro with alcohol and G-Rg1. The cell morphology was observed using scanning electron microscopy. Cell height, roughness, adhesion, and elastic modulus were detected using atomic force microscopy. We found that alcohol significantly induced hepatocyte apoptosis, whereas G-Rg1 attenuated the alcohol-induced hepatocyte damage. Scanning electron microscopy revealed that alcohol-induced significant morphological changes in hepatocytes, including decreased cell contraction, roundness, and pseudopods, whereas G-Rg1 inhibited these negative changes. Atomic force microscopy revealed that alcohol increased the cell height and decreased the adhesion and elastic modulus of hepatocytes. Following treatment with G-Rg1, the cell height, adhesion, and elastic modulus of alcohol-injured hepatocytes were all similar to those of normal cells. Thus, G-Rg1 can attenuate the alcohol-induced damage to hepatocytes by modulating the morphology and biomechanics of the cells. RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS: In this study, the morphological characteristics of hepatocytes were observed using SEM. The changes in hepatocyte three-dimensional images and biomechanical action caused by alcohol and G-Rg1 were examined at the nanoscale using AFM under near-physiological conditions. Alcohol-induced hepatocytes showed abnormal morphology and biophysical properties. G-Rg1 attenuated the alcohol-induced damage to hepatocytes by modulating the morphology and biomechanics of the cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shengli Zhang
- International Research Centre for Nano Handling and Manufacturing of China, Changchun University of Science and Technology, Changchun, China
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Cross-Scale Micro and Nano Manufacturing, Changchun University of Science and Technology, Changchun, China
| | - Zhankun Weng
- International Research Centre for Nano Handling and Manufacturing of China, Changchun University of Science and Technology, Changchun, China
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Cross-Scale Micro and Nano Manufacturing, Changchun University of Science and Technology, Changchun, China
| | - Zuobin Wang
- International Research Centre for Nano Handling and Manufacturing of China, Changchun University of Science and Technology, Changchun, China
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Cross-Scale Micro and Nano Manufacturing, Changchun University of Science and Technology, Changchun, China
- JR3CN & IRAC, University of Bedfordshire, Luton, UK
| | - Bowei Wang
- International Research Centre for Nano Handling and Manufacturing of China, Changchun University of Science and Technology, Changchun, China
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Cross-Scale Micro and Nano Manufacturing, Changchun University of Science and Technology, Changchun, China
| | - Yi Zeng
- International Research Centre for Nano Handling and Manufacturing of China, Changchun University of Science and Technology, Changchun, China
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Cross-Scale Micro and Nano Manufacturing, Changchun University of Science and Technology, Changchun, China
| | - Jiani Li
- International Research Centre for Nano Handling and Manufacturing of China, Changchun University of Science and Technology, Changchun, China
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Cross-Scale Micro and Nano Manufacturing, Changchun University of Science and Technology, Changchun, China
| | - Cuihua Hu
- International Research Centre for Nano Handling and Manufacturing of China, Changchun University of Science and Technology, Changchun, China
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Cross-Scale Micro and Nano Manufacturing, Changchun University of Science and Technology, Changchun, China
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18
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Comparison of Rheological Properties of Healthy versus Dupuytren Fibroblasts When Treated with a Cell Contraction Inhibitor by Atomic Force Microscope. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24032043. [PMID: 36768366 PMCID: PMC9917339 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24032043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2022] [Revised: 01/16/2023] [Accepted: 01/17/2023] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Mechanical properties of healthy and Dupuytren fibroblasts were investigated by atomic force microscopy (AFM). In addition to standard force curves, rheological properties were assessed using an oscillatory testing methodology, in which the frequency was swept from 1 Hz to 1 kHz, and data were analyzed using the structural damping model. Dupuytren fibroblasts showed larger apparent Young's modulus values than healthy ones, which is in agreement with previous results. Moreover, cell mechanics were compared before and after ML-7 treatment, which is a myosin light chain kinase inhibitor (MLCK) that reduces myosin activity and hence cell contraction. We employed two different concentrations of ML-7 inhibitor and could observe distinct cell reactions. At 1 µM, healthy and scar fibroblasts did not show measurable changes in stiffness, but Dupuytren fibroblasts displayed a softening and recovery after some time. When increasing ML-7 concentration (3 µM), the majority of cells reacted, Dupuytren fibroblasts were the most susceptible, not being able to recover from the drug and dying. These results suggested that ML-7 is a potent inhibitor for MLCK and that myosin II is essential for cytoskeleton stabilization and cell survival.
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19
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Kontomaris SV, Stylianou A, Chliveros G, Malamou A. Determining Spatial Variability of Elastic Properties for Biological Samples Using AFM. MICROMACHINES 2023; 14:mi14010182. [PMID: 36677243 PMCID: PMC9862197 DOI: 10.3390/mi14010182] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2022] [Revised: 12/26/2022] [Accepted: 01/09/2023] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
Measuring the mechanical properties (i.e., elasticity in terms of Young's modulus) of biological samples using Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) indentation at the nanoscale has opened new horizons in studying and detecting various pathological conditions at early stages, including cancer and osteoarthritis. It is expected that AFM techniques will play a key role in the future in disease diagnosis and modeling using rigorous mathematical criteria (i.e., automated user-independent diagnosis). In this review, AFM techniques and mathematical models for determining the spatial variability of elastic properties of biological materials at the nanoscale are presented and discussed. Significant issues concerning the rationality of the elastic half-space assumption, the possibility of monitoring the depth-dependent mechanical properties, and the construction of 3D Young's modulus maps are also presented.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stylianos Vasileios Kontomaris
- BioNanoTec Ltd., Nicosia 2043, Cyprus
- Faculty of Engineering and Architecture, Metropolitan College, 15125 Athens, Greece
| | - Andreas Stylianou
- School of Sciences, European University Cyprus, Nicosia 2404, Cyprus
| | - Georgios Chliveros
- Faculty of Engineering and Architecture, Metropolitan College, 15125 Athens, Greece
| | - Anna Malamou
- School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, National Technical University of Athens, 15780 Athens, Greece
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20
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Färber N, Neidinger SV, Westerhausen C. Cell Membrane State, Permeability, and Elasticity Assessment for Single Cells and Cell Ensembles. Methods Mol Biol 2023; 2644:225-236. [PMID: 37142925 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3052-5_14] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
The phase state and especially phase transitions of synthetic lipid membranes are known to drastically modulate mechanical membrane properties like permeability and bending modulus. Although the main transition of lipid membranes is typically detected employing differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), this technique is not suitable for many biological membranes. Moreover, often single cell data on the membrane state or order is of interest. We here first describe how to use a membrane polarity-sensitive dye, Laurdan, to optically determine the order of cell ensembles over a wide temperature range from T = -40 °C to +95 °C. This allows to quantify the position and width of biological membrane order-disorder transitions. Second, we show that the distribution of membrane order within a cell ensemble allows for correlation analysis of membrane order and permeability. Third, combining the technique with conventional atomic force spectroscopy allows for the quantitative correlation of an overall effective Young's modulus of living cells with the membrane order.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolas Färber
- Experimental Physics I, Institute of Physics, University of Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany
- Physiology, Institute of Theoretical Medicine, University of Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany
| | - Simon V Neidinger
- Experimental Physics I, Institute of Physics, University of Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany
- Physiology, Institute of Theoretical Medicine, University of Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany
| | - Christoph Westerhausen
- Experimental Physics I, Institute of Physics, University of Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany.
- Physiology, Institute of Theoretical Medicine, University of Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany.
- Center for NanoScience (CeNS), Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Munich, Germany.
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21
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He F, Yang C, Liu H, Wang J. Changes in the mechanical properties of human mesenchymal stem cells during differentiation. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2023; 10:220607. [PMID: 36636310 PMCID: PMC9810430 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.220607] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2022] [Accepted: 12/06/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
A thorough understanding of the changes in mechanical property behind intracellular biophysical and biochemical processes during differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) is helpful to direct and enhance the commitment of cells to a particular lineage. In this study, displacement creep of the mesenchymal cell lineages (osteogenic, chondrogenic and adipogenic hMSCs) were determined by using atomic force microscopy, which was then used to determine their mechanical properties. We found that at any stages of differentiation, the mesenchymal cell lineages are linear viscoelastic materials and well matched with a simple power-law creep compliance. In addition, the viscoelasticity of mesenchymal cell lineages showed different trends during differentiation. The adipogenic hMSCs showed continuous softening at all stages. The osteogenic and chondrogenic hMSCs only continuously soften and become more fluid-like in the early stage of differentiation, and get stiffened and less fluid-like in the later stage. These findings will help more accurately imitate cellular biomechanics in the microenvironment, and provided an important reference in the biophysics biomimetic design of stem cell differentiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fei He
- Key Laboratory of Mechanics on Disaster and Environment in Western China, Ministry of Education, College of Civil Engineering and Mechanics, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu 730000, People's Republic of China
| | - Chendong Yang
- Key Laboratory of Mechanics on Disaster and Environment in Western China, Ministry of Education, College of Civil Engineering and Mechanics, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu 730000, People's Republic of China
| | - Haoye Liu
- Key Laboratory of Mechanics on Disaster and Environment in Western China, Ministry of Education, College of Civil Engineering and Mechanics, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu 730000, People's Republic of China
| | - Jizeng Wang
- Key Laboratory of Mechanics on Disaster and Environment in Western China, Ministry of Education, College of Civil Engineering and Mechanics, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu 730000, People's Republic of China
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22
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Cuenot S, Gélébart P, Sinquin C, Colliec-Jouault S, Zykwinska A. Mechanical relaxations of hydrogels governed by their physical or chemical crosslinks. J Mech Behav Biomed Mater 2022; 133:105343. [PMID: 35780569 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmbbm.2022.105343] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2022] [Revised: 05/13/2022] [Accepted: 06/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
In the field of tissue engineering, in order to restore tissue functionality hydrogels that closely mimic biological and mechanical properties of the extracellular matrix are intensely developed. Mechanical properties including relaxation of the surrounding microenvironment regulate essential cellular processes. However, the mechanical properties of engineered hydrogels are particularly complex since they involve not only a nonlinear elastic behavior but also time-dependent responses. An accurate determination of these properties at microscale, i.e. as probed by cells, becomes an essential step to further design hydrogel-based biomaterials able to induce specific cellular responses. Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) with contact sizes of the order of few micrometers constitutes an appropriate technique to determine the origin of relaxation mechanisms occurring in hydrogels. In the present study, AFM force relaxation experiments are conducted on chemically and physically crosslinked hydrogels respectively based on a synthetic polymer, polyacrylamide and a natural polymer, a bacterial exopolysaccharide infernan, produced by the deep-sea hydrothermal vent bacterium, Alteromonas infernus. Two distinct relaxation mechanisms are clearly evidenced depending on the nature of hydrogel network crosslinks. Chemically crosslinked hydrogel exhibits poroelastic relaxations, whereas physically crosslinked hydrogel shows time-dependent responses arising from viscoelastic effects. In addition, two relaxation processes are revealed in ionic physical hydrogel originating from chain rearrangement and breaking/reforming of the ionic crosslinks. The effect of the ionic strength on both the long-term elastic modulus and relaxation times of physical hydrogels was also shown. These findings highlight that physical hydrogels with well-defined time-dependent mechanical properties could be tuned for an optimized response of cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stéphane Cuenot
- Nantes Université, CNRS, Institut des Matériaux Jean Rouxel, IMN, 2, Rue de la Houssinière, 44322, Nantes, Cedex 3, France.
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23
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Shi Y, Sivarajan S, Crocker JC, Reich DH. Measuring Cytoskeletal Mechanical Fluctuations and Rheology with Active Micropost Arrays. Curr Protoc 2022; 2:e433. [PMID: 35612274 PMCID: PMC9321978 DOI: 10.1002/cpz1.433] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
The dynamics of the cellular actomyosin cytoskeleton are crucial to many aspects of cellular function. Here, we describe techniques that employ active micropost array detectors (AMPADs) to measure cytoskeletal rheology and mechanical force fluctuations. The AMPADS are arrays of flexible poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) microposts with magnetic nanowires embedded in a subset of microposts to enable actuation of those posts via an externally applied magnetic field. Techniques are described to track the magnetic microposts' motion with nanometer precision at up to 100 video frames per second to measure the local cellular rheology at well-defined positions. Application of these high-precision tracking techniques to the full array of microposts in contact with a cell also enables mapping of the cytoskeletal mechanical fluctuation dynamics with high spatial and temporal resolution. This article describes (1) the fabrication of magnetic micropost arrays, (2) measurement protocols for both local rheology and cytoskeletal force fluctuation mapping, and (3) special-purpose software routines to reduce and analyze these data. © 2022 The Authors. Current Protocols published by Wiley Periodicals LLC. Basic Protocol 1: Fabrication of magnetic micropost arrays Basic Protocol 2: Data acquisition for cellular force fluctuations on non-magnetic micropost arrays Basic Protocol 3: Data acquisition for local cellular rheology measurements with magnetic microposts Basic Protocol 4: Data reduction: determining microposts' motion Basic Protocol 5: Data analysis: determining local rheology from magnetic microposts Basic Protocol 6: Data analysis for force fluctuation measurements Support Protocol 1: Fabrication of magnetic Ni nanowires by electrodeposition Support Protocol 2: Configuring Streampix for magnetic rheology measurements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Shi
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland.,Current address: Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Shankar Sivarajan
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - John C Crocker
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Daniel H Reich
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland
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24
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Bianconi E, Tassinari R, Alessandrini A, Ragazzini G, Cavallini C, Abruzzo PM, Petrocelli G, Pampanella L, Casadei R, Maioli M, Canaider S, Facchin F, Ventura C. Cytochalasin B Modulates Nanomechanical Patterning and Fate in Human Adipose-Derived Stem Cells. Cells 2022; 11:cells11101629. [PMID: 35626666 PMCID: PMC9139657 DOI: 10.3390/cells11101629] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2022] [Revised: 05/05/2022] [Accepted: 05/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Cytoskeletal proteins provide architectural and signaling cues within cells. They are able to reorganize themselves in response to mechanical forces, converting the stimuli received into specific cellular responses. Thus, the cytoskeleton influences cell shape, proliferation, and even differentiation. In particular, the cytoskeleton affects the fate of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), which are highly attractive candidates for cell therapy approaches due to their capacity for self-renewal and multi-lineage differentiation. Cytochalasin B (CB), a cyto-permeable mycotoxin, is able to inhibit the formation of actin microfilaments, resulting in direct effects on cell biological properties. Here, we investigated for the first time the effects of different concentrations of CB (0.1–10 μM) on human adipose-derived stem cells (hASCs) both after 24 h (h) of CB treatment and 24 h after CB wash-out. CB influenced the metabolism, proliferation, and morphology of hASCs in a dose-dependent manner, in association with progressive disorganization of actin microfilaments. Furthermore, the removal of CB highlighted the ability of cells to restore their cytoskeletal organization. Finally, atomic force microscopy (AFM) revealed that cytoskeletal changes induced by CB modulated the viscoelastic properties of hASCs, influencing their stiffness and viscosity, thereby affecting adipogenic fate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva Bianconi
- Laboratory of Cardiovascular Biology, IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Viale Rosanna Benzi 10, 16132 Genova, Italy;
- National Laboratory of Molecular Biology and Stem Cell Bioengineering of the National Institute of Biostructures and Biosystems (NIBB)—Eldor Lab, Innovation Accelerator, CNR, Via Piero Gobetti 101, 40129 Bologna, Italy; (R.T.); (C.C.); (C.V.)
| | - Riccardo Tassinari
- National Laboratory of Molecular Biology and Stem Cell Bioengineering of the National Institute of Biostructures and Biosystems (NIBB)—Eldor Lab, Innovation Accelerator, CNR, Via Piero Gobetti 101, 40129 Bologna, Italy; (R.T.); (C.C.); (C.V.)
| | - Andrea Alessandrini
- Department of Physics, Informatics and Mathematics, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Via Campi 213/A, 41125 Modena, Italy; (A.A.); (G.R.)
- CNR-Nanoscience Institute-S3, Via Campi 213/A, 41125 Modena, Italy
| | - Gregorio Ragazzini
- Department of Physics, Informatics and Mathematics, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Via Campi 213/A, 41125 Modena, Italy; (A.A.); (G.R.)
- CNR-Nanoscience Institute-S3, Via Campi 213/A, 41125 Modena, Italy
| | - Claudia Cavallini
- National Laboratory of Molecular Biology and Stem Cell Bioengineering of the National Institute of Biostructures and Biosystems (NIBB)—Eldor Lab, Innovation Accelerator, CNR, Via Piero Gobetti 101, 40129 Bologna, Italy; (R.T.); (C.C.); (C.V.)
| | - Provvidenza Maria Abruzzo
- Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine (DIMES), University of Bologna, Via Massarenti 9, 40138 Bologna, Italy; (P.M.A.); (G.P.); (L.P.)
| | - Giovannamaria Petrocelli
- Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine (DIMES), University of Bologna, Via Massarenti 9, 40138 Bologna, Italy; (P.M.A.); (G.P.); (L.P.)
| | - Luca Pampanella
- Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine (DIMES), University of Bologna, Via Massarenti 9, 40138 Bologna, Italy; (P.M.A.); (G.P.); (L.P.)
| | - Raffaella Casadei
- Department for Life Quality Studies (QuVi), University of Bologna, Corso D’Augusto 237, 47921 Rimini, Italy;
| | - Margherita Maioli
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Sassari, Viale San Pietro 43/B, 07100 Sassari, Italy;
| | - Silvia Canaider
- Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine (DIMES), University of Bologna, Via Massarenti 9, 40138 Bologna, Italy; (P.M.A.); (G.P.); (L.P.)
- Correspondence: (S.C.); (F.F.); Tel.: +39-051-2094114 (S.C.); +39-051-2094104 (F.F.)
| | - Federica Facchin
- Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine (DIMES), University of Bologna, Via Massarenti 9, 40138 Bologna, Italy; (P.M.A.); (G.P.); (L.P.)
- Correspondence: (S.C.); (F.F.); Tel.: +39-051-2094114 (S.C.); +39-051-2094104 (F.F.)
| | - Carlo Ventura
- National Laboratory of Molecular Biology and Stem Cell Bioengineering of the National Institute of Biostructures and Biosystems (NIBB)—Eldor Lab, Innovation Accelerator, CNR, Via Piero Gobetti 101, 40129 Bologna, Italy; (R.T.); (C.C.); (C.V.)
- Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine (DIMES), University of Bologna, Via Massarenti 9, 40138 Bologna, Italy; (P.M.A.); (G.P.); (L.P.)
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25
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Sun W, Gao X, Lei H, Wang W, Cao Y. Biophysical Approaches for Applying and Measuring Biological Forces. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2022; 9:e2105254. [PMID: 34923777 PMCID: PMC8844594 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202105254] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2021] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
Over the past decades, increasing evidence has indicated that mechanical loads can regulate the morphogenesis, proliferation, migration, and apoptosis of living cells. Investigations of how cells sense mechanical stimuli or the mechanotransduction mechanism is an active field of biomaterials and biophysics. Gaining a further understanding of mechanical regulation and depicting the mechanotransduction network inside cells require advanced experimental techniques and new theories. In this review, the fundamental principles of various experimental approaches that have been developed to characterize various types and magnitudes of forces experienced at the cellular and subcellular levels are summarized. The broad applications of these techniques are introduced with an emphasis on the difficulties in implementing these techniques in special biological systems. The advantages and disadvantages of each technique are discussed, which can guide readers to choose the most suitable technique for their questions. A perspective on future directions in this field is also provided. It is anticipated that technical advancement can be a driving force for the development of mechanobiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenxu Sun
- School of SciencesNantong UniversityNantong226019P. R. China
| | - Xiang Gao
- Key Laboratory of Intelligent Optical Sensing and IntegrationNational Laboratory of Solid State Microstructureand Department of PhysicsCollaborative Innovation Center of Advanced MicrostructuresNanjing UniversityNanjing210023P. R. China
- Institute of Brain ScienceNanjing UniversityNanjing210023P. R. China
| | - Hai Lei
- Key Laboratory of Intelligent Optical Sensing and IntegrationNational Laboratory of Solid State Microstructureand Department of PhysicsCollaborative Innovation Center of Advanced MicrostructuresNanjing UniversityNanjing210023P. R. China
- Institute of Brain ScienceNanjing UniversityNanjing210023P. R. China
- Chemistry and Biomedicine Innovation CenterNanjing UniversityNanjing210023P. R. China
| | - Wei Wang
- Key Laboratory of Intelligent Optical Sensing and IntegrationNational Laboratory of Solid State Microstructureand Department of PhysicsCollaborative Innovation Center of Advanced MicrostructuresNanjing UniversityNanjing210023P. R. China
- Institute of Brain ScienceNanjing UniversityNanjing210023P. R. China
| | - Yi Cao
- Key Laboratory of Intelligent Optical Sensing and IntegrationNational Laboratory of Solid State Microstructureand Department of PhysicsCollaborative Innovation Center of Advanced MicrostructuresNanjing UniversityNanjing210023P. R. China
- Institute of Brain ScienceNanjing UniversityNanjing210023P. R. China
- MOE Key Laboratory of High Performance Polymer Materials and TechnologyDepartment of Polymer Science & EngineeringCollege of Chemistry & Chemical EngineeringNanjing UniversityNanjing210023P. R. China
- Chemistry and Biomedicine Innovation CenterNanjing UniversityNanjing210023P. R. China
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26
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Hall D, Foster AS. Practical considerations for feature assignment in high-speed AFM of live cell membranes. Biophys Physicobiol 2022; 19:1-21. [PMID: 35797405 PMCID: PMC9173863 DOI: 10.2142/biophysico.bppb-v19.0016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2021] [Accepted: 04/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Damien Hall
- WPI Nano Life Science Institute, Kanazawa University
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27
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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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28
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Sanchez JG, Espinosa FM, Miguez R, Garcia R. The viscoelasticity of adherent cells follows a single power-law with distinct local variations within a single cell and across cell lines. NANOSCALE 2021; 13:16339-16348. [PMID: 34581722 DOI: 10.1039/d1nr03894j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
AFM-based force-distance curves are commonly used to characterize the nanomechanical properties of live cells. The transformation of these curves into nanomechanical properties requires the development of contact mechanics models. Spatially-resolved force-distance curves involving 1 to 2 μm deformations were obtained on HeLa and NIH 3T3 (fibroblast) cells. An elastic and two viscoelastic models were used to describe the experimental force-distance curves. The best agreement was obtained by applying a contact mechanics model that accounts for the geometry of the contact and the finite-thickness of the cell and assumes a single power-law dependence with time. Our findings show the shortcomings of elastic and semi-infinite viscoelastic models to characterize the mechanical response of a mammalian cell under micrometer-scale deformations. The parameters of the 3D power-law viscoelastic model, compressive modulus and fluidity exponent showed local variations within a single cell and across the two cell lines. The corresponding nanomechanical maps revealed structures that were not visible in the AFM topographic maps.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan G Sanchez
- Instituto de Ciencia de Materiales de Madrid, CSIC, c/Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz 3, 28049 Madrid, Spain.
| | - Francisco M Espinosa
- Instituto de Ciencia de Materiales de Madrid, CSIC, c/Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz 3, 28049 Madrid, Spain.
| | - Ruben Miguez
- Instituto de Ciencia de Materiales de Madrid, CSIC, c/Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz 3, 28049 Madrid, Spain.
| | - Ricardo Garcia
- Instituto de Ciencia de Materiales de Madrid, CSIC, c/Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz 3, 28049 Madrid, Spain.
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29
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Bakalis E, Gavriil V, Cefalas AC, Kollia Z, Zerbetto F, Sarantopoulou E. Viscoelasticity and Noise Properties Reveal the Formation of Biomemory in Cells. J Phys Chem B 2021; 125:10883-10892. [PMID: 34546052 PMCID: PMC8503882 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.1c01752] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
![]()
Living cells are
neither perfectly elastic nor liquid and return
a viscoelastic response to external stimuli. Nanoindentation provides
force–distance curves, allowing the investigation of cell mechanical
properties, and yet, these curves can differ from point to point on
the cell surface, revealing its inhomogeneous character. In the present
work, we propose a mathematical method to estimate both viscoelastic
and noise properties of cells as these are depicted on the values
of the scaling exponents of relaxation function and power spectral
density, respectively. The method uses as input the time derivative
of the response force in a nanoindentation experiment. Generalized
moments method and/or rescaled range analysis is used to study the
resulting time series depending on their nonstationary or stationary
nature. We conducted experiments in living Ulocladium
chartarum spores. We found that spores in the approaching
phase present a viscoelastic behavior with the corresponding scaling
exponent in the range 0.25–0.52 and in the retracting phase
present a liquid-like behavior with exponents in the range 0.67–0.85.
This substantial difference of the scaling exponents in the two phases
suggests the formation of biomemory as a response of the spores to
the indenting AFM mechanical stimulus. The retracting phase may be
described as a process driven by bluish noises, while the approaching
one is driven by persistent noise.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evangelos Bakalis
- Dipartimento di Chimica "G. Ciamician", Universita di Bologna, V. F. Selmi 2, Bologna 40126, Italy
| | - Vassilios Gavriil
- Theoretical and Physical Chemistry Institute, National Hellenic Research Foundation, 48 Vassileos Constantinou Avenue, Athens 11635, Greece
| | - Alkiviadis-Constantinos Cefalas
- Theoretical and Physical Chemistry Institute, National Hellenic Research Foundation, 48 Vassileos Constantinou Avenue, Athens 11635, Greece
| | - Zoe Kollia
- Theoretical and Physical Chemistry Institute, National Hellenic Research Foundation, 48 Vassileos Constantinou Avenue, Athens 11635, Greece
| | - Francesco Zerbetto
- Dipartimento di Chimica "G. Ciamician", Universita di Bologna, V. F. Selmi 2, Bologna 40126, Italy
| | - Evangelia Sarantopoulou
- Theoretical and Physical Chemistry Institute, National Hellenic Research Foundation, 48 Vassileos Constantinou Avenue, Athens 11635, Greece
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30
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Lai QWS, Guo MSS, Wu KQ, Liao Z, Guan D, Dong TT, Tong P, Tsim KWK. Edible Bird's Nest, an Asian Health Food Supplement, Possesses Moisturizing Effect by Regulating Expression of Filaggrin in Skin Keratinocyte. Front Pharmacol 2021; 12:685982. [PMID: 34354585 PMCID: PMC8329658 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2021.685982] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2021] [Accepted: 06/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Edible bird's nest (EBN) has been consumed as a Chinese delicacy for hundreds of years; the functions of which have been proposed to prevent lung disease, strengthen immune response, and restore skin youthfulness. To support the skin function of EBN, the water extract and the enzymatic digest of EBN with enriched digested peptides were tested in cultured keratinocyte, HaCaT cell line. The effects of EBN extract and digest in inducing proteins crucial for skin moisturizing were determined in both in vitro and ex vivo models. In cultured keratinocytes, the expressions of S100-fused type proteins contributing to skin barrier function in the stratum corneum, e.g. filaggrin and filaggrin-2, were determined in both mRNA and protein levels, which were markedly induced in the treatment of EBN extract or digest. The EBN-induced gene transcriptions of filaggrin and filaggrin-2 were mediated by activation of p38 MAPK pathway and various transcription factors, e.g. GATA3, PPARα, PPARβ, and PPARγ: these transcriptional factors were markedly activated by the digested products of EBN, as compared to the extract, in cultured keratinocytes. By using atomic force microscopy (AFM), the EBN-treated keratinocyte was shown to have more liquid-like morphology, as compared to a control cell. The EBN digest showed better induction on these moisturizing effects as compared to the extract. These lines of evidence therefore suggested the water moisturizing effect of EBN in skin function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Queenie Wing Sze Lai
- Shenzhen Research Institute, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China.,Division of Life Science and Center for Chinese Medicine R and D, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong, China
| | - Maggie Sui Sui Guo
- Shenzhen Research Institute, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China.,Division of Life Science and Center for Chinese Medicine R and D, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong, China
| | - Kevin Qiyun Wu
- Shenzhen Research Institute, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China.,Division of Life Science and Center for Chinese Medicine R and D, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong, China
| | - Zhitao Liao
- Department of Physics, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong, China
| | - Dongshi Guan
- State Key Laboratory of Nonlinear Mechanics, Institute of Mechanics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Tina Tingxia Dong
- Shenzhen Research Institute, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China.,Division of Life Science and Center for Chinese Medicine R and D, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong, China
| | - Penger Tong
- Department of Physics, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong, China
| | - Karl Wah Keung Tsim
- Shenzhen Research Institute, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China.,Division of Life Science and Center for Chinese Medicine R and D, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong, China
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31
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Flormann DAD, Schu M, Terriac E, Thalla D, Kainka L, Koch M, Gad AKB, Lautenschläger F. A novel universal algorithm for filament network tracing and cytoskeleton analysis. FASEB J 2021; 35:e21582. [PMID: 33835502 DOI: 10.1096/fj.202100048r] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2021] [Revised: 03/06/2021] [Accepted: 03/25/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
The rapid development of advanced microscopy techniques over recent decades has significantly increased the quality of imaging and our understanding of subcellular structures, such as the organization of the filaments of the cytoskeleton using fluorescence and electron microscopy. However, these recent improvements in imaging techniques have not been matched by similar development of techniques for computational analysis of the images of filament networks that can now be obtained. Hence, for a wide range of applications, reliable computational analysis of such two-dimensional methods remains challenging. Here, we present a new algorithm for tracing of filament networks. This software can extract many important parameters from grayscale images of filament networks, including the mesh hole size, and filament length and connectivity (also known as Coordination Number). In addition, the method allows sub-networks to be distinguished in two-dimensional images using intensity thresholding. We show that the algorithm can be used to analyze images of cytoskeleton networks obtained using different advanced microscopy methods. We have thus developed a new improved method for computational analysis of two-dimensional images of filamentous networks that has wide applications for existing imaging techniques. The algorithm is available as open-source software.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel A D Flormann
- Department of Physics, Saarland University, Saarbruecken, Germany.,INM - Leibniz Institute for New Materials, Saarbruecken, Germany
| | - Moritz Schu
- Department of Physics, Saarland University, Saarbruecken, Germany
| | - Emmanuel Terriac
- INM - Leibniz Institute for New Materials, Saarbruecken, Germany
| | - Divyendu Thalla
- Department of Physics, Saarland University, Saarbruecken, Germany.,INM - Leibniz Institute for New Materials, Saarbruecken, Germany
| | - Lucina Kainka
- Department of Physics, Saarland University, Saarbruecken, Germany.,INM - Leibniz Institute for New Materials, Saarbruecken, Germany
| | - Marcus Koch
- INM - Leibniz Institute for New Materials, Saarbruecken, Germany
| | - Annica K B Gad
- Department of Oncology and Metabolism, The Medical School, Weston Park Cancer Centre, Sheffield, UK.,Centro de Química da Madeira, Universidade da Madeira, Funchal, Portugal
| | - Franziska Lautenschläger
- Department of Physics, Saarland University, Saarbruecken, Germany.,INM - Leibniz Institute for New Materials, Saarbruecken, Germany
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32
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Zhang S, Weng Y, Ma C. Quantitative Nanomechanical Mapping of Polyolefin Elastomer at Nanoscale with Atomic Force Microscopy. NANOSCALE RESEARCH LETTERS 2021; 16:113. [PMID: 34216298 PMCID: PMC8254710 DOI: 10.1186/s11671-021-03568-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2021] [Accepted: 06/25/2021] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Elastomeric nanostructures are normally expected to fulfill an explicit mechanical role and therefore their mechanical properties are pivotal to affect material performance. Their versatile applications demand a thorough understanding of the mechanical properties. In particular, the time dependent mechanical response of low-density polyolefin (LDPE) has not been fully elucidated. Here, utilizing state-of-the-art PeakForce quantitative nanomechanical mapping jointly with force volume and fast force volume, the elastic moduli of LDPE samples were assessed in a time-dependent fashion. Specifically, the acquisition frequency was discretely changed four orders of magnitude from 0.1 up to 2 k Hz. Force data were fitted with a linearized DMT contact mechanics model considering surface adhesion force. Increased Young's modulus was discovered with increasing acquisition frequency. It was measured 11.7 ± 5.2 MPa at 0.1 Hz and increased to 89.6 ± 17.3 MPa at 2 kHz. Moreover, creep compliance experiment showed that instantaneous elastic modulus E1, delayed elastic modulus E2, viscosity η, retardation time τ were 22.3 ± 3.5 MPa, 43.3 ± 4.8 MPa, 38.7 ± 5.6 MPa s and 0.89 ± 0.22 s, respectively. The multiparametric, multifunctional local probing of mechanical measurement along with exceptional high spatial resolution imaging open new opportunities for quantitative nanomechanical mapping of soft polymers, and can potentially be extended to biological systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuting Zhang
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Henan Province for Green Manufacturing of Fine Chemicals, Key Laboratory of Green Chemical Media and Reactions, Ministry of Education, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang, 453007, Henan, China.
| | - Yihui Weng
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Henan Province for Green Manufacturing of Fine Chemicals, Key Laboratory of Green Chemical Media and Reactions, Ministry of Education, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang, 453007, Henan, China
| | - Chunhua Ma
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Henan Province for Green Manufacturing of Fine Chemicals, Key Laboratory of Green Chemical Media and Reactions, Ministry of Education, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang, 453007, Henan, China.
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33
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Meng H, Chowdhury TT, Gavara N. The Mechanical Interplay Between Differentiating Mesenchymal Stem Cells and Gelatin-Based Substrates Measured by Atomic Force Microscopy. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:697525. [PMID: 34235158 PMCID: PMC8255986 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.697525] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2021] [Accepted: 05/31/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Traditional methods to assess hMSCs differentiation typically require long-term culture until cells show marked expression of histological markers such as lipid accumulation inside the cytoplasm or mineral deposition onto the surrounding matrix. In parallel, stem cell differentiation has been shown to involve the reorganization of the cell’s cytoskeleton shortly after differentiation induced by soluble factors. Given the cytoskeleton’s role in determining the mechanical properties of adherent cells, the mechanical characterization of stem cells could thus be a potential tool to assess cellular commitment at much earlier time points. In this study, we measured the mechanical properties of hMSCs cultured on soft gelatin-based hydrogels at multiple time points after differentiation induction toward adipogenic or osteogenic lineages. Our results show that the mechanical properties of cells (stiffness and viscosity) and the organization of the actin cytoskeleton are highly correlated with lineage commitment. Most importantly, we also found that the mechanical properties and the topography of the gelatin substrate in the vicinity of the cells are also altered as differentiation progresses toward the osteogenic lineage, but not on the adipogenic case. Together, these results confirm the biophysical changes associated with stem cell differentiation and suggest a mechanical interplay between the differentiating stem cells and their surrounding extracellular matrix.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongxu Meng
- School of Engineering and Materials Science, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Tina T Chowdhury
- School of Engineering and Materials Science, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Núria Gavara
- School of Engineering and Materials Science, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom.,Unit of Biophysics and Bioengineering, Medical School, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
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34
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Abstract
Mycoplasma mobile, a parasitic bacterium, glides on solid surfaces, such as animal cells and glass, by a special mechanism. This process is driven by the force generated through ATP hydrolysis on an internal structure. However, the spatial and temporal behaviors of the internal structures in living cells are unclear. In this study, we detected the movements of the internal structure by scanning cells immobilized on a glass substrate using high-speed atomic force microscopy (HS-AFM). By scanning the surface of a cell, we succeeded in visualizing particles, 2 nm in height and aligned mostly along the cell axis with a pitch of 31.5 nm, consistent with previously reported features based on electron microscopy. Movements of individual particles were then analyzed by HS-AFM. In the presence of sodium azide, the average speed of particle movements was reduced, suggesting that movement is linked to ATP hydrolysis. Partial inhibition of the reaction by sodium azide enabled us to analyze particle behavior in detail, showing that the particles move 9 nm right, relative to the gliding direction, and 2 nm into the cell interior in 330 ms and then return to their original position, based on ATP hydrolysis.
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35
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Sheng JY, Mo C, Li GY, Zhao HC, Cao Y, Feng XQ. AFM-based indentation method for measuring the relaxation property of living cells. J Biomech 2021; 122:110444. [PMID: 33933864 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbiomech.2021.110444] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2020] [Revised: 04/07/2021] [Accepted: 04/08/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Probing the mechanical properties of cells is critical for understanding their deformation behaviors and biological functions. Although some methods have been proposed to characterize the elastic properties of cells, it is still difficult to measure their time-dependent properties. This paper investigates the use of atomic force microscope (AFM) to determine the reduced relaxation modulus of cells. In principle, AFM is hard to perform an indentation relaxation test that requires a constant indenter displacement during load relaxation, whereas the real AFM indenter displacement usually varies with time during relaxation due to the relatively small bending stiffness of its cantilever. We investigate this issue through a combined theoretical, computational, and experimental effort. A protocol relying on the choice of appropriate cantilever bending stiffness is proposed to perform an AFM-based indentation relaxation test of cells, which enables the measurement of reduced relaxation modulus with high accuracy. This protocol is first validated by performing nanoindentation relaxation tests on a soft material and by comparing the results with those from independent measurements. Then indentation tests of cartilage cells are conducted to demonstrate this method in determining time-dependent properties of living cells. Finally, the change in the viscoelasticity of MCF-7 cells under hyperthermia is investigated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun-Yuan Sheng
- Institute of Biomechanics and Medical Engineering, AML, Department of Engineering Mechanics, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, PR China
| | - Chi Mo
- Institute of Biomechanics and Medical Engineering, AML, Department of Engineering Mechanics, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, PR China
| | - Guo-Yang Li
- Institute of Biomechanics and Medical Engineering, AML, Department of Engineering Mechanics, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, PR China
| | - Hu-Cheng Zhao
- Institute of Biomechanics and Medical Engineering, AML, Department of Engineering Mechanics, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, PR China
| | - Yanping Cao
- Institute of Biomechanics and Medical Engineering, AML, Department of Engineering Mechanics, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, PR China.
| | - Xi-Qiao Feng
- Institute of Biomechanics and Medical Engineering, AML, Department of Engineering Mechanics, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, PR China.
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36
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A Universal Model for the Log-Normal Distribution of Elasticity in Polymeric Gels and Its Relevance to Mechanical Signature of Biological Tissues. BIOLOGY 2021; 10:biology10010064. [PMID: 33477413 PMCID: PMC7830536 DOI: 10.3390/biology10010064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2020] [Revised: 01/08/2021] [Accepted: 01/15/2021] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Simple Summary Mechanical properties of biological tissues are increasingly recognized as important in biology. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) is one of the main tools used to assess elastic properties of various types of biological samples. It has been noted that elasticity values frequently follow a log-normal distribution. We propose in this communication a physical model explaining this fact, and we propose that distribution-type analysis could increase the information obtained from AFM studies on biological tissues. Abstract The mechanosensitivity of cells has recently been identified as a process that could greatly influence a cell’s fate. To understand the interaction between cells and their surrounding extracellular matrix, the characterization of the mechanical properties of natural polymeric gels is needed. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) is one of the leading tools used to characterize mechanically biological tissues. It appears that the elasticity (elastic modulus) values obtained by AFM presents a log-normal distribution. Despite its ubiquity, the log-normal distribution concerning the elastic modulus of biological tissues does not have a clear explanation. In this paper, we propose a physical mechanism based on the weak universality of critical exponents in the percolation process leading to gelation. Following this, we discuss the relevance of this model for mechanical signatures of biological tissues.
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37
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Romanov V, Silvani G, Zhu H, Cox CD, Martinac B. An Acoustic Platform for Single-Cell, High-Throughput Measurements of the Viscoelastic Properties of Cells. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2021; 17:e2005759. [PMID: 33326190 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202005759] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2020] [Revised: 12/01/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Cellular processes including adhesion, migration, and differentiation are governed by the distinct mechanical properties of each cell. Importantly, the mechanical properties of individual cells can vary depending on local physical and biochemical cues in a time-dependent manner resulting in significant inter-cell heterogeneity. While several different methods have been developed to interrogate the mechanical properties of single cells, throughput to capture this heterogeneity remains an issue. Here, single-cell, high-throughput characterization of adherent cells is demonstrated using acoustic force spectroscopy (AFS). AFS works by simultaneously, acoustically driving tens to hundreds of silica beads attached to cells away from the cell surface, allowing the user to measure the stiffness of adherent cells under multiple experimental conditions. It is shown that cells undergo marked changes in viscoelasticity as a function of temperature, by altering the temperature within the AFS microfluidic circuit between 21 and 37 °C. In addition, quantitative differences in cells exposed to different pharmacological treatments specifically targeting the membrane-cytoskeleton interface are shown. Further, the high-throughput format of the AFS is utilized to rapidly probe, in excess of 1000 cells, three different cell lines expressing different levels of a mechanosensitive protein, Piezo1, demonstrating the ability to differentiate between cells based on protein expression levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valentin Romanov
- Department of Molecular Cardiology and Biophysics, Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute, Darlinghurst, Sydney, NSW, 2010, Australia
| | - Giulia Silvani
- Department of Molecular Cardiology and Biophysics, Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute, Darlinghurst, Sydney, NSW, 2010, Australia
| | - Huiyu Zhu
- Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, Sydney, NSW, 2007, Australia
| | - Charles D Cox
- Department of Molecular Cardiology and Biophysics, Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute, Darlinghurst, Sydney, NSW, 2010, Australia
- St Vincent's Clinical School, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2010, Australia
| | - Boris Martinac
- Department of Molecular Cardiology and Biophysics, Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute, Darlinghurst, Sydney, NSW, 2010, Australia
- St Vincent's Clinical School, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2010, Australia
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38
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Microcantilever: Dynamical Response for Mass Sensing and Fluid Characterization. SENSORS 2020; 21:s21010115. [PMID: 33375431 PMCID: PMC7795892 DOI: 10.3390/s21010115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2020] [Revised: 12/20/2020] [Accepted: 12/22/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
A microcantilever is a suspended micro-scale beam structure supported at one end which can bend and/or vibrate when subjected to a load. Microcantilevers are one of the most fundamental miniaturized devices used in microelectromechanical systems and are ubiquitous in sensing, imaging, time reference, and biological/biomedical applications. They are typically built using micro and nanofabrication techniques derived from the microelectronics industry and can involve microelectronics-related materials, polymeric materials, and biological materials. This work presents a comprehensive review of the rich dynamical response of a microcantilever and how it has been used for measuring the mass and rheological properties of Newtonian/non-Newtonian fluids in real time, in ever-decreasing space and time scales, and with unprecedented resolution.
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39
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Casuso I, Redondo-Morata L, Rico F. Biological physics by high-speed atomic force microscopy. PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. SERIES A, MATHEMATICAL, PHYSICAL, AND ENGINEERING SCIENCES 2020; 378:20190604. [PMID: 33100165 PMCID: PMC7661283 DOI: 10.1098/rsta.2019.0604] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
While many fields have contributed to biological physics, nanotechnology offers a new scale of observation. High-speed atomic force microscopy (HS-AFM) provides nanometre structural information and dynamics with subsecond resolution of biological systems. Moreover, HS-AFM allows us to measure piconewton forces within microseconds giving access to unexplored, fast biophysical processes. Thus, HS-AFM provides a tool to nourish biological physics through the observation of emergent physical phenomena in biological systems. In this review, we present an overview of the contribution of HS-AFM, both in imaging and force spectroscopy modes, to the field of biological physics. We focus on examples in which HS-AFM observations on membrane remodelling, molecular motors or the unfolding of proteins have stimulated the development of novel theories or the emergence of new concepts. We finally provide expected applications and developments of HS-AFM that we believe will continue contributing to our understanding of nature, by serving to the dialogue between biology and physics. This article is part of a discussion meeting issue 'Dynamic in situ microscopy relating structure and function'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ignacio Casuso
- Aix-Marseile University, Inserm, CNRS, LAI, 163 Av. de Luminy, 13009 Marseille, France
| | - Lorena Redondo-Morata
- Center for Infection and Immunity of Lille, INSERM U1019, CNRS UMR 8204, 59000 Lille, France
| | - Felix Rico
- Aix-Marseile University, Inserm, CNRS, LAI, 163 Av. de Luminy, 13009 Marseille, France
- e-mail:
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40
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Hao Y, Cheng S, Tanaka Y, Hosokawa Y, Yalikun Y, Li M. Mechanical properties of single cells: Measurement methods and applications. Biotechnol Adv 2020; 45:107648. [DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2020.107648] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2020] [Revised: 09/11/2020] [Accepted: 10/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
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41
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A hyperelastic model for simulating cells in flow. Biomech Model Mechanobiol 2020; 20:509-520. [PMID: 33219464 PMCID: PMC7979664 DOI: 10.1007/s10237-020-01397-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2020] [Accepted: 10/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
In the emerging field of 3D bioprinting, cell damage due to large deformations is considered a main cause for cell death and loss of functionality inside the printed construct. Those deformations, in turn, strongly depend on the mechano-elastic response of the cell to the hydrodynamic stresses experienced during printing. In this work, we present a numerical model to simulate the deformation of biological cells in arbitrary three-dimensional flows. We consider cells as an elastic continuum according to the hyperelastic Mooney-Rivlin model. We then employ force calculations on a tetrahedralized volume mesh. To calibrate our model, we perform a series of FluidFM[Formula: see text] compression experiments with REF52 cells demonstrating that all three parameters of the Mooney-Rivlin model are required for a good description of the experimental data at very large deformations up to 80%. In addition, we validate the model by comparing to previous AFM experiments on bovine endothelial cells and artificial hydrogel particles. To investigate cell deformation in flow, we incorporate our model into Lattice Boltzmann simulations via an Immersed-Boundary algorithm. In linear shear flows, our model shows excellent agreement with analytical calculations and previous simulation data.
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42
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Weber A, Zbiral B, Iturri J, Benitez R, Toca-Herrera JL. Measuring (biological) materials mechanics with atomic force microscopy. 2. Influence of the loading rate and applied force (colloidal particles). Microsc Res Tech 2020; 84:1078-1088. [PMID: 33179834 DOI: 10.1002/jemt.23643] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2020] [Revised: 09/25/2020] [Accepted: 10/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Atomic force microscopy (AFM) is the most often used tool to study the mechanical properties of eukaryotic cells. Due to their complex assembly, cells show viscoelastic properties. When performing experiments, one has to consider the influence of both loading rate and maximum load on the measured mechanical properties. Here, we employed colloidal particles of various sizes (from 2 to 20 μm diameter) to perform force spectroscopy measurements on endothelial cells at loading rates varying from 0.1 to 50 μm/s, and maximum loads ranging from 1 to 25 nN. We were able to determine the non-linear dependence of cell viscoelastic properties on the loading rate which followed a weak power law. In addition, we show that previous loading at high forces leads to a stiffening of cells. Based on these results we discuss a road map for determining cell mechanical properties using AFM. Finally, this work provides an experimental framework for cell mechanical measurements using force-cycle experiments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreas Weber
- Department of Nanobiotechnology, Institute for Biophysics, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (BOKU), Vienna, Austria
| | - Barbara Zbiral
- Department of Nanobiotechnology, Institute for Biophysics, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (BOKU), Vienna, Austria
| | - Jagoba Iturri
- Department of Nanobiotechnology, Institute for Biophysics, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (BOKU), Vienna, Austria
| | - Rafael Benitez
- Departamento de Matemáticas para la Economía y la Empresa, Facultad de Economía, Universidad de Valencia, Valencia, Spain
| | - José L Toca-Herrera
- Department of Nanobiotechnology, Institute for Biophysics, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (BOKU), Vienna, Austria
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43
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Efremov YM, Kotova SL, Akovantseva AA, Timashev PS. Nanomechanical properties of enucleated cells: contribution of the nucleus to the passive cell mechanics. J Nanobiotechnology 2020; 18:134. [PMID: 32943055 PMCID: PMC7500557 DOI: 10.1186/s12951-020-00696-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2020] [Accepted: 09/09/2020] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The nucleus, besides its functions in the gene maintenance and regulation, plays a significant role in the cell mechanosensitivity and mechanotransduction. It is the largest cellular organelle that is often considered as the stiffest cell part as well. Interestingly, the previous studies have revealed that the nucleus might be dispensable for some of the cell properties, like polarization and 1D and 2D migration. Here, we studied how the nanomechanical properties of cells, as measured using nanomechanical mapping by atomic force microscopy (AFM), were affected by the removal of the nucleus. Methods The mass enucleation procedure was employed to obtain cytoplasts (enucleated cells) and nucleoplasts (nuclei surrounded by plasma membrane) of two cell lines, REF52 fibroblasts and HT1080 fibrosarcoma cells. High-resolution viscoelastic mapping by AFM was performed to compare the mechanical properties of normal cells, cytoplasts, and nucleoplast. The absence or presence of the nucleus was confirmed with fluorescence microscopy, and the actin cytoskeleton structure was assessed with confocal microscopy. Results Surprisingly, we did not find the softening of cytoplasts relative to normal cells, and even some degree of stiffening was discovered. Nucleoplasts, as well as the nuclei isolated from cells using a detergent, were substantially softer than both the cytoplasts and normal cells. Conclusions The cell can maintain its mechanical properties without the nucleus. Together, the obtained data indicate the dominating role of the actomyosin cytoskeleton over the nucleus in the cell mechanics at small deformations inflicted by AFM. ![]()
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuri M Efremov
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Sechenov University, 8 Trubetskaya St., Moscow, 119991, Russia.
| | - Svetlana L Kotova
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Sechenov University, 8 Trubetskaya St., Moscow, 119991, Russia.,N.N. Semenov Institute of Chemical Physics, 4 Kosygin St., Moscow, 119991, Russia
| | - Anastasia A Akovantseva
- Institute of Photon Technologies of Federal Scientific Research Centre "Crystallography and Photonics" of Russian Academy of Sciences, Pionerskaya 2, Troitsk, Moscow, 108840, Russia
| | - Peter S Timashev
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Sechenov University, 8 Trubetskaya St., Moscow, 119991, Russia.,N.N. Semenov Institute of Chemical Physics, 4 Kosygin St., Moscow, 119991, Russia.,Institute of Photon Technologies of Federal Scientific Research Centre "Crystallography and Photonics" of Russian Academy of Sciences, Pionerskaya 2, Troitsk, Moscow, 108840, Russia.,Chemistry Department, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Leninskiye Gory 1-3, Moscow, 119991, Russia
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44
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Zhu Y, Thakore AD, Farry JM, Jung J, Anilkumar S, Wang H, Imbrie-Moore AM, Park MH, Tran NA, Woo YPJ. Collagen-Supplemented Incubation Rapidly Augments Mechanical Property of Fibroblast Cell Sheets. Tissue Eng Part A 2020; 27:328-335. [PMID: 32703108 DOI: 10.1089/ten.tea.2020.0128] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Cell sheet technology using UpCell™ (Thermo Fisher Scientific, Roskilde, Denmark) plates is a modern tool that enables the rapid creation of single-layered cells without using extracellular matrix (ECM) enzymatic digestion. Although this technique has the advantage of maintaining a sheet of cells without needing artificial scaffolds, these cell sheets remain extremely fragile. Collagen, the most abundant ECM component, is an attractive candidate for modulating tissue mechanical properties given its tunable property. In this study, we demonstrated rapid mechanical property augmentation of human dermal fibroblast cell sheets after incubation with bovine type I collagen for 24 h on UpCell plates. We showed that treatment with collagen resulted in increased collagen I incorporation within the cell sheet without affecting cell morphology, cell type, or cell sheet quality. Atomic force microscopy measurements for controls, and cell sheets that received 50 and 100 μg/mL collagen I treatments revealed an average Young's modulus of their respective intercellular regions: 6.6 ± 1.0, 14.4 ± 6.6, and 19.8 ± 3.8 kPa during the loading condition, and 10.3 ± 4.7, 11.7 ± 2.2, and 18.1 ± 3.4 kPa during the unloading condition. This methodology of rapid mechanical property augmentation of a cell sheet has a potential impact on cell sheet technology by improving the ease of construct manipulation, enabling new translational tissue engineering applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuanjia Zhu
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA.,Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, and Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Akshara D Thakore
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, and Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Justin M Farry
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, and Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Jinsuh Jung
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, and Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Shreya Anilkumar
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, and Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Hanjay Wang
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, and Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Annabel M Imbrie-Moore
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, and Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA.,Department of Mechanical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Matthew H Park
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, and Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA.,Department of Mechanical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Nicholas A Tran
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, and Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Yi-Ping Joseph Woo
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA.,Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, and Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA
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45
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Taubenberger AV, Baum B, Matthews HK. The Mechanics of Mitotic Cell Rounding. Front Cell Dev Biol 2020; 8:687. [PMID: 32850812 PMCID: PMC7423972 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2020.00687] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2020] [Accepted: 07/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
When animal cells enter mitosis, they round up to become spherical. This shape change is accompanied by changes in mechanical properties. Multiple studies using different measurement methods have revealed that cell surface tension, intracellular pressure and cortical stiffness increase upon entry into mitosis. These cell-scale, biophysical changes are driven by alterations in the composition and architecture of the contractile acto-myosin cortex together with osmotic swelling and enable a mitotic cell to exert force against the environment. When the ability of cells to round is limited, for example by physical confinement, cells suffer severe defects in spindle assembly and cell division. The requirement to push against the environment to create space for spindle formation is especially important for cells dividing in tissues. Here we summarize the evidence and the tools used to show that cells exert rounding forces in mitosis in vitro and in vivo, review the molecular basis for this force generation and discuss its function for ensuring successful cell division in single cells and for cells dividing in normal or diseased tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna V. Taubenberger
- Biotechnology Center, Center for Molecular and Cellular Bioengineering, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Buzz Baum
- MRC Laboratory for Molecular Cell Biology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Helen K. Matthews
- MRC Laboratory for Molecular Cell Biology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
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46
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Garcia R. Nanomechanical mapping of soft materials with the atomic force microscope: methods, theory and applications. Chem Soc Rev 2020; 49:5850-5884. [PMID: 32662499 DOI: 10.1039/d0cs00318b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 161] [Impact Index Per Article: 40.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/28/2024]
Abstract
Fast, high-resolution, non-destructive and quantitative characterization methods are needed to develop materials with tailored properties at the nanoscale or to understand the relationship between mechanical properties and cell physiology. This review introduces the state-of-the-art force microscope-based methods to map at high-spatial resolution the elastic and viscoelastic properties of soft materials. The experimental methods are explained in terms of the theories that enable the transformation of observables into material properties. Several applications in materials science, molecular biology and mechanobiology illustrate the scope, impact and potential of nanomechanical mapping methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ricardo Garcia
- Instituto de Ciencia de Materiales de Madrid, CSIC, c/Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz 3, 28049 Madrid, Spain.
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47
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Garcia PD, Guerrero CR, Garcia R. Nanorheology of living cells measured by AFM-based force-distance curves. NANOSCALE 2020; 12:9133-9143. [PMID: 32293616 DOI: 10.1039/c9nr10316c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Mechanobiology aims to establish functional relationships between the mechanical state of a living a cell and its physiology. The acquisition of force-distance curves with an AFM is by far the dominant method to characterize the nanomechanical properties of living cells. However, theoretical simulations have shown that the contact mechanics models used to determine the Young's modulus from a force-distance curve could be off by a factor 5 from its expected value. The semi-quantitative character arises from the lack of a theory that integrates the AFM data, a realistic viscoelastic model of a cell and its finite-thickness. Here, we develop a method to determine the mechanical response of a cell from a force-distance curve. The method incorporates bottom-effect corrections, a power-law rheology model and the deformation history of the cell. It transforms the experimental data into viscoelastic parameters of the cell as a function of the indentation frequency. The quantitative agreement obtained between the experiments performed on living fibroblast cells and the analytical theory supports the use of force-distance curves to measure the nanorheological properties of cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pablo D Garcia
- Instituto de Ciencia de Materiales de Madrid, CSIC, c/ Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz 3, 28049 Madrid, Spain.
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48
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Reczyńska K, Khanal D, Pielichowska K, Pamuła E, Chrzanowski W. Distinct Influence of Saturated Fatty Acids on Malignant and Nonmalignant Human Lung Epithelial Cells. Lipids 2020; 55:117-126. [PMID: 31970788 DOI: 10.1002/lipd.12216] [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: 05/21/2019] [Revised: 12/30/2019] [Accepted: 01/08/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
The impact of saturated fatty acids (FA) on viability and properties of malignant and nonmalignant cells has not been studied in detail so far. The present study was aimed at evaluation of the influence of saturated FA (10:0-18:0) on malignant (A459) and nonmalignant (BEAS-2B) human lung epithelial cells. FA strongly affected A549 cells, but not BEAS-2B cells. Viability of A549 cells incubated with 14:0-18:0 was decreased by 53-91% as compared to untreated cells. Cell membrane stiffness in those cells as measured by atomic force microscopy was also reduced. Median value of apparent Young's modulus of untreated A549 cell membrane was 16.9 kPa and it decreased to 8.9 kPa for cells incubated with 14:0. Viability and mechanical properties of BEAS-2B cells were not altered by presence of FA. Those surprising discrepancies can be related to the differences in FA uptake rate. A549 cells were found to incorporate higher amount of FA and this corresponded to decrease in cell membrane stiffness and reduced cell viability. The performed studies showed that saturated FA have distinct influence on various types of cells, which may be exploited in development of the advanced lipid drug delivery systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katarzyna Reczyńska
- Department of Biomaterials and Composites, Faculty of Materials Science and Ceramics, AGH University of Science and Technology, Al. Mickiewicza 30, 30-059, Kraków, Poland.,Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Sydney, Pharmacy Building A15, Sydney, New South Wales, 2006, Australia
| | - Dipesh Khanal
- Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Sydney, Pharmacy Building A15, Sydney, New South Wales, 2006, Australia
| | - Kinga Pielichowska
- Department of Biomaterials and Composites, Faculty of Materials Science and Ceramics, AGH University of Science and Technology, Al. Mickiewicza 30, 30-059, Kraków, Poland
| | - Elżbieta Pamuła
- Department of Biomaterials and Composites, Faculty of Materials Science and Ceramics, AGH University of Science and Technology, Al. Mickiewicza 30, 30-059, Kraków, Poland.,Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Sydney, Pharmacy Building A15, Sydney, New South Wales, 2006, Australia
| | - Wojciech Chrzanowski
- Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Sydney, Pharmacy Building A15, Sydney, New South Wales, 2006, Australia.,The University of Sydney Nano Institute, Physics Road, New South Wales, 2006, Sydney, Australia
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49
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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: 106] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.5] [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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50
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Pires RH, Shree N, Manu E, Guzniczak E, Otto O. Cardiomyocyte mechanodynamics under conditions of actin remodelling. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2019; 374:20190081. [PMID: 31587648 PMCID: PMC6792454 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2019.0081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/10/2019] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
The mechanical performance of cardiomyocytes (CMs) is an important indicator of their maturation state and of primary importance for the development of therapies based on cardiac stem cells. As the mechanical analysis of adherent cells at high-throughput remains challenging, we explore the applicability of real-time deformability cytometry (RT-DC) to probe cardiomyocytes in suspension. RT-DC is a microfluidic technology allowing for real-time mechanical analysis of thousands of cells with a throughput exceeding 1000 cells per second. For CMs derived from human-induced pluripotent stem cells, we determined a Young's modulus of 1.25 ± 0.08 kPa which is in close range to previous reports. Upon challenging the cytoskeleton with cytochalasin D (CytoD) to induce filamentous actin depolymerization, we distinguish three different regimes in cellular elasticity. Transitions are observed below 10 nM and above 103 nM and are characterized by a decrease in Young's modulus. These regimes can be linked to cytoskeletal and sarcomeric actin contributions by CM contractility measurements at varying CytoD concentrations, where we observe a significant reduction in pulse duration only above 103 nM while no change is found for compound exposure at lower concentrations. Comparing our results to mechanical cell measurements using atomic force microscopy, we demonstrate for the first time to our knowledge, the feasibility of using a microfluidic technique to measure mechanical properties of large samples of adherent cells while linking our results to the composition of the cytoskeletal network. This article is part of a discussion meeting issue 'Single cell ecology'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ricardo H. Pires
- Zentrum für Innovationskompetenz: Humorale Immunreaktionen bei kardiovaskulären Erkrankungen, Universität Greifswald, Fleischmannstrasse 42, 17489 Greifswald, Germany
| | - Nithya Shree
- Zentrum für Innovationskompetenz: Humorale Immunreaktionen bei kardiovaskulären Erkrankungen, Universität Greifswald, Fleischmannstrasse 42, 17489 Greifswald, Germany
| | - Emmanuel Manu
- Zentrum für Innovationskompetenz: Humorale Immunreaktionen bei kardiovaskulären Erkrankungen, Universität Greifswald, Fleischmannstrasse 42, 17489 Greifswald, Germany
| | - Ewa Guzniczak
- Heriot-Watt University School of Engineering and Physical Science, Institute of Biological Chemistry, Biophysics and Bioengineering, Edinburgh Campus, Edinburgh EH14 4AS, UK
| | - Oliver Otto
- Zentrum für Innovationskompetenz: Humorale Immunreaktionen bei kardiovaskulären Erkrankungen, Universität Greifswald, Fleischmannstrasse 42, 17489 Greifswald, Germany
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