title: AFM indentation study of breast cancer cells.
abstract: Mechanical properties of individual living cells are known to be closely related to the health and function of the human body. Here, atomic force microscopy (AFM) indentation using a micro-sized spherical probe was carried out to characterize the elasticity of benign (MCF-10A) and cancerous (MCF-7) human breast epithelial cells. AFM imaging and confocal fluorescence imaging were also used to investigate their corresponding sub-membrane cytoskeletal structures. Malignant (MCF-7) breast cells were found to have an apparent Young's modulus significantly lower (1.4-1.8 times) than that of their non-malignant (MCF-10A) counterparts at physiological temperature (37 degrees C), and their apparent Young's modulus increase with loading rate. Both confocal and AFM images showed a significant difference in the organization of their sub-membrane actin structures which directly contribute to their difference in cell elasticity. This change may have facilitated easy migration and invasion of malignant cells during metastasis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Mechanical Engineering, National University of Singapore, 9 Engineering Drive 1, Singapore 117576, Singapore.
authors.forename: Q S
authors.initials: QS
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: G Y H
authors.initials: GY
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: C N
authors.initials: CN
authors.lastname: Ong
authors.forename: C T
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: Lim
mesh_terms: D000199:Actins / Q000648:ultrastructure; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D003599:Cytoskeleton / Q000648:ultrastructure; D004548:Elasticity; D005260:Female; D005453:Fluorescence; D006801:Humans; D018625:Microscopy, Atomic Force / Q000379:methods*; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal
chemical_list: D000199:Actins