Abstract
To examine how cells generate force at the level of single extracellular matrix fibers, a miniature force-transducer system was created around a novel microfabricated silicon device. We characterize the development of isometric force on single collagen type-I fibers. We show that cells remodel individual collagen fibers by moving them inward using a hand-over-hand cycle of binding, movement, and release. This remodelling is caused by only a 2-3 micrometer region of active lamellapodium. We also show that movement of individual fibers is rapid at low restrictive forces, and this velocity quickly decreases as forces approach 60 pN. A single cell is capable of generating between 180-250 pN of force on a single fiber. This data supports the hypothesis that the leading edge of migrating cells is primarily responsible for generating force on the substrate.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 296-297 |
| Number of pages | 2 |
| Journal | Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology - Proceedings |
| Volume | 1 |
| State | Published - 2002 |
| Externally published | Yes |
| Event | Proceedings of the 2002 IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology 24th Annual Conference and the 2002 Fall Meeting of the Biomedical Engineering Society (BMES / EMBS) - Houston, TX, United States Duration: Oct 23 2002 → Oct 26 2002 |
Keywords
- Biomechanics
- Cell adhesion
- Cell movement
- Extracellular matrix/collagen
- Force measurements
- Myosin II
- Nanofabrication
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Signal Processing
- Health Informatics
- Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition
- Biomedical Engineering