title: Using cell monolayer rheology to probe average single cell mechanical properties.
abstract: The cell monolayer rheology technique consists of a commercial rotational rheometer that probes the mechanical properties of a monolayer of isolated cells. So far we have described properties of an entire monolayer. In this short communication, we show that we can deduce average single cell properties. Results are in very good agreement with earlier work on single cell mechanics. Our approach provides a mean of 105-106 adherent cells within a single experiment. This makes the results very reproducible. We extend our work on cell adhesion strength and deduce cell adhesion forces of fibroblast cells on fibronectin coated glass substrates.
authors.affiliation: Biological Experimental Physics, Department of Physics FR 7.2, Saarland University, Germany.
authors.forename: Mathias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sander
authors.affiliation: Biological Experimental Physics, Department of Physics FR 7.2, Saarland University, Germany.
authors.forename: Julia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Flesch
authors.affiliation: Biological Experimental Physics, Department of Physics FR 7.2, Saarland University, Germany.
authors.forename: Albrecht
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ott
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D002448:Cell Adhesion; D004548:Elasticity; D004867:Equipment Design; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000166:cytology*; D051379:Mice; D041681:NIH 3T3 Cells; D012212:Rheology / Q000295:instrumentation*; D059010:Single-Cell Analysis / Q000295:instrumentation; D013314:Stress, Mechanical; D014783:Viscosity
keywords: Cytoskeleton; cell adhesion; cell viscoelasticity; oscillatory shear; single cell mechanics