Quantitative characterization of mechano-biological interrelationships of single cells

Ying Li, Junyang Li, Zhijie Huan, Yuanchao Hu

This paper presented a quantitative investigation on the alteration of cell biological functions in relation to the change of mechanical properties of single cells. Leukemia NB4 cells were used as cell line. The dielectrophoresis (DEP) method was utilized to verify the mechanical properties variation of NB4 cells under the electric field treatment. A quantitative study of cell mechanical properties was then carried out using optical tweezers (OT), and cell biological properties using gene expression measurement. The result shows cell stiffness decreased after electric treatment. Biological properties related to cell motility, structure, apoptosis, migration, invasion, and metastases changed with cell mechanical properties variation.

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