Spatio-temporal analysis of cell mechanical properties and force propagations by atomic force microscopy

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25286081
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Partial Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: General applied physics
• Research Institution: Hokkaido University
• Principal Investigator: OKAJIMA TAKAHARU 北海道大学, 情報科学研究科, 教授 (70280998)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): SUEOKA KAZUHISA 北海道大学, 情報科学研究科, 教授 (60250479)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: 原子間力顕微鏡 / 細胞力学 / 細胞レオロジー / 細胞骨格

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Cytoskeletal (CSK) filaments and nuclear scaffolds are discretely connected to each other in response to external forces. The force propagation plays a role in regulating various cell functions. The understanding of cell mechanical properties related to the CSK filamentous structures is essential to elucidate the mechanisms of cell functions. We fabricated micro-fabricated substrate for controlling cell shape and observing intracellular structures with optical microscope. For the investigation of intra-and intercellular mechanical properties associated with CSK filaments, we developed atomic force microscopy (AFM) that allows us to measure the mechanical properties of cell population in an extremely large region and to map rapidly the cell rheological properties, We investigated the correlation between cell rheology and CSK, the emerging spatial distribution of cell modulus in cell population, the motion of cell nucleus related to CSK, and the temporal change in cell rheology.

Free Research Field

生物物理