Mechanical determination of particle–cell interactions and the associated biomedical applications

Xiao Zhang, Cui Song, Guanghui Ma and Wei Wei

As new materials, micro/nanoscale particles have been verified to have many novel and significant physicochemical properties as a result of their specific scale effects, and hence have received increasing amounts of attention. The understanding of the physiological effects of these particles on cells is fundamental to the biomedical field. Currently, it has been proven that the mechanical properties associated with the interaction between particles and cells dominate the final physiological response. Hence, it is vital and valuable to determine the mechanical features of particle–cell interactions. Based on these mechanical properties, many novel applications have been reported in the biomedical field, such as drug delivery, immune response, and cell mechanics. Here, we systematically summarize the mechanical measurement methods used to study particle–cell interactions and their subsequent applications regarding these mechanical properties. This work will further the understanding of particle-induced mechanical properties and the behavior of living cells as well as how such properties relate to cell function.

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