Live Cell Imaging during Mechanical Stretch.
There is currently a significant interest in understanding how cells and tissues respond to mechanical stimuli, but current approaches are limited in their capability for measuring responses in real time in live cells or viable tissue. A protocol was developed with the use of a cell actuator to distend live cells grown on or tissues attached to an elastic substrate while imaging with confocal and atomic force microscopy (AFM). Preliminary studies show that tonic stretching of human bronchial epithelial cells caused a significant increase in the production of mitochondrial superoxide. Moreover, using this protocol, alveolar epithelial cells were stretched and imaged, which showed direct damage to the epithelial cells by overdistention simulating one form of lung injury in vitro. A protocol to conduct AFM nano-indentation on stretched cells is also provided.
Department of Physiology, University of Tennessee Health Science Center; Department of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging, University of Tennessee Health Science Center.
Gabriel
G
Rápalo
Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Memphis.
Josh D
JD
Herwig
Department of Engineering Technology, University of Memphis.
Robert
R
Hewitt
Department of Physiology, University of Tennessee Health Science Center; Department of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging, University of Tennessee Health Science Center.
Kristina R
KR
Wilhelm
Department of Physiology, University of Tennessee Health Science Center; Department of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging, University of Tennessee Health Science Center.
Christopher M
CM
Waters
Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Memphis; eroan@memphis.edu.
Esra
E
Roan
D000818:Animals; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D002460:Cell Line; D003199:Computer Systems; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000166:cytology*; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods; D008168:Lung / Q000166:cytology; D051379:Mice; D018625:Microscopy, Atomic Force / Q000379:methods; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal / Q000379:methods; D013314:Stress, Mechanical