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MINIREVIEW

Measurement Techniques for Cellular Biomechanics In Vitro

Kweku A. Addae-Mensah^*, and John P. Wikswo^*,,,,1

^* Department of Biomedical Engineering; Vanderbilt Institute for Integrative Biosystems Research and Education; Department of Physics and Astronomy; and Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37232

To whom requests for reprints should be addressed at ¹ The Vanderbilt Institute for Integrative Biosystems Research and Education, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235-1807. E-mail: john.wikswo{at}vanderbilt.edu

Living cells and tissues experience mechanical forces in their physiological environments that are known to affect many cellular processes. Also of importance are the mechanical properties of cells, as well as the microforces generated by cellular processes themselves in their microenvironments. The difficulty associated with studying these phenomena in vivo has led to alternatives such as using in vitro models. The need for experimental techniques for investigating cellular biomechanics and mechanobiology in vitro has fueled an evolution in the technology used in these studies. Particularly noteworthy are some of the new biomicroelectromechanical systems (Bio-MEMS) devices and techniques that have been introduced to the field. We describe some of the cellular micromechanical techniques and methods that have been developed for in vitro studies, and provide summaries of the ranges of measured values of various biomechanical quantities. We also briefly address some of our experiences in using these methods and include modifications we have introduced in order to improve them.

Key Words: atomic force microscopy (AFM) • traction force microscopy • micropipette aspiration • magnetic tweezers • magnetic twisting cytometry • optical tweezers • force sensors • carbon fibers • polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) • microcantilever arrays • flexible sheets • quantum dots • cellular force measurement