Development of cell contraction assay

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15H03004
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Biomedical engineering/Biomaterial science and engineering
• Research Institution: Osaka University (2016-2017); Nagoya Institute of Technology (2015)
• Principal Investigator: Deguchi Shinji 大阪大学, 基礎工学研究科, 教授 (30379713)
• Research Collaborator: MATSUI Tsubasa 大阪大学, 大学院基礎工学研究科, 講師 (50638707)
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: 細胞バイオメカニクス / メカノバイオロジー / 細胞収縮力 / メカノミクス / 非筋II型ミオシン

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The objective of this study is to develop a new technology that allows for high-throughput i.e. highly efficient visualization/quantification of cellular traction forces. Hydrophilic membrane is created in a spatially uniform manner over the surface of silicone materials. With cells plated on the flexible membrane, microscopy is performed to detect deformations of the membrane induced upon the loading of cellular contractile forces. The microscope is equipped with a stage incubator and stepping motors, with which time-lapse of the cells and membrane are imaged at multiple points of the membrane substrate. With image analyses on the acquired series of the images, the magnitude of the deformations of the membrane is quantified. Automatic image analysis code is built to compute the magnitude of the cellular contractility-driven deformations of the membrane. The system developed here is applicable to cell biology studies as a tool to quantify the contractility of individual cells.

Free Research Field

細胞バイオメカニクス