Three-Dimensional Reflectance Traction Microscopy.
Cells in three-dimensional (3D) environments exhibit very different biochemical and biophysical phenotypes compared to the behavior of cells in two-dimensional (2D) environments. As an important biomechanical measurement, 2D traction force microscopy can not be directly extended into 3D cases. In order to quantitatively characterize the contraction field, we have developed 3D reflectance traction microscopy which combines confocal reflection imaging and partial volume correlation postprocessing. We have measured the deformation field of collagen gel under controlled mechanical stress. We have also characterized the deformation field generated by invasive breast cancer cells of different morphologies in 3D collagen matrix. In contrast to employ dispersed tracing particles or fluorescently-tagged matrix proteins, our methods provide a label-free, computationally effective strategy to study the cell mechanics in native 3D extracellular matrix.
Department of Physics, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, United States of America.
Jihan
http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6945-2783
J
Kim
Department of Physics, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, United States of America.
Christopher A R
CA
Jones
Department of Physics, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, United States of America.
Nicholas Scott
NS
Groves
Department of Physics, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, United States of America.
Bo
B
Sun
D000818:Animals; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D002448:Cell Adhesion; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002465:Cell Movement; D048430:Cell Shape; D003094:Collagen / Q000378:metabolism*; D005109:Extracellular Matrix / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D005782:Gels; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional / Q000379:methods*; D008853:Microscopy / Q000379:methods*; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal / Q000379:methods*; D016062:Porosity; D051381:Rats; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013314:Stress, Mechanical
D005782:Gels; D003094:Collagen