Dynamic monitoring of cell mechanical properties using profile microindentation.

Lionel Guillou (1) , A Babataheri (1) , P-H Puech (2) , a I Barakat (1) , J Husson (1)

1 LadHyX - Laboratoire d'hydrodynamique
2 LAI - Adhésion et Inflammation

We have developed a simple and relatively inexpensive system to visualize adherent cells in profile while measuring their mechanical properties using microindentation. The setup allows simultaneous control of cell microenvironment by introducing a micropipette for the delivery of soluble factors or other cell types. We validate this technique against atomic force microscopy measurements and, as a proof of concept, measure the viscoelastic properties of vascular endothelial cells in terms of an apparent stiffness and a dimensionless parameter that describes stress relaxation. Furthermore, we use this technique to monitor the time evolution of these mechanical properties as the cells' actin is depolymerized using cytochalasin-D.

Domaines: Mécanique des fluides [physics.class-ph]

Lionel Guillou, A Babataheri, P-H Puech, a I Barakat, J Husson. Dynamic monitoring of cell mechanical properties using profile microindentation.. Scientific Reports, 2015, 6, pp.21529. ⟨10.1038/srep21529⟩. ⟨hal-01299614⟩