title: Micropillar substrates: a tool for studying cell mechanobiology.
abstract: Increasing evidence has shown that mechanical cues from the environment play an important role in cell biology. Mechanotransduction or the study of how cells can sense these mechanical cues, and respond to them, is an active field of research. However, it is still not clear how cells sense and respond to mechanical cues. Thus, new tools are being rapidly developed to quantitatively study cell mechanobiology. Particularly, force measurement tools such as micropillar substrates have provided new insights into the underlying mechanisms of mechanosensing. In this chapter, we provide detailed protocol for fabrication, characterization, functionalization, and use of the micropillar substrates.
authors: Mechanobiology Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore.
authors: Mukund
authors: M
authors: Gupta
authors: Mechanobiology Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore.
authors: Leyla
authors: L
authors: Kocgozlu
authors: Institut Jacques Monod (IJM), CNRS UMR 7592 & Université Paris Diderot, Paris, France.
authors: Bibhu Ranjan
authors: BR
authors: Sarangi
authors: Mechanobiology Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore.
authors: Felix
authors: F
authors: Margadant
authors: Mechanobiology Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore.
authors: Mohammed
authors: M
authors: Ashraf
authors: Mechanobiology Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore; Institut Jacques Monod (IJM), CNRS UMR 7592 & Université Paris Diderot, Paris, France.
authors: Benoit
authors: B
authors: Ladoux
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001703:Biophysics / Q000379:methods*; D015374:Biosensing Techniques; D002448:Cell Adhesion; D002470:Cell Survival; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000166:cytology; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D040542:Mechanotransduction, Cellular
keywords: Force measurement; Mechanotransduction; Micropillar substrates; Rigidity; Traction force microscopy