Single-Cell Biophysics: Measurement, Modulation, and Modeling

Single-Cell Biophysics: Measurement, Modulation, and Modeling

Poster Abstracts

103-POS Board 52 Measuring Single Suspension Cell Mechanical Properties and Cytoskeleton Contribution by AFM Mingliu Zhu , Fen Liu, Dong Sun, Jian LU, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong Living cell is confronting to different forces from the outer environments. During the life processes, cell mechanics is involved and closely related to different functions. Studying the cell mechanical properties will help us well understand different physical phenomenon. Cytoskeleton underneath the cell membrane serves as the main supporting part to the whole cell. It contributes most to cell mechanical properties. Studying the cytoskeleton mechanical properties contribution is the key to understand cell mechanics. This work concentrates on the acute myeloid leukemia (AML) suspension cell mechanical properties and contribution of cytoskeleton to the whole cell mechanical properties. We established a measuring methodology to quantify the mechanical properties of the single suspension by Atomic Force Microscope (AFM). AFM experiments are conducting to extract cell and cytoskeleton elastic mechanical properties. The cell anchoring method, detailed testing method parameters like ramp sizes, tip velocities, trig thresholds, and the indenting times will all be determined in this methodology. According to the deformation depth, a proper fitting model will be used to extract cell’s elastic properties. This methodology can be applied in the following two parts: first, using AFM to quantify different types of AML cell lines mechanical properties is conducted. We can use mechanical properties to distinguish different species of AML cell lines. These results will be useful parameters when distinguishing different stages of cell lines. Second by the aid of cytoskeleton distribution agents, we can quantify the contributions of cytoskeletons to the whole cell mechanical properties. The experiment results shows that as the increasing concentrations of cytoskeleton distribution agents in the culture medium, the measuring mechanical properties of certain AML cell line will decrease. These results will be useful parameters when conducting the cell modeling work.

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