Confocal reference free traction force microscopy.
The mechanical wiring between cells and their surroundings is fundamental to the regulation of complex biological processes during tissue development, repair or pathology. Traction force microscopy (TFM) enables determination of the actuating forces. Despite progress, important limitations with intrusion effects in low resolution 2D pillar-based methods or disruptive intermediate steps of cell removal and substrate relaxation in high-resolution continuum TFM methods need to be overcome. Here we introduce a novel method allowing a one-shot (live) acquisition of continuous in- and out-of-plane traction fields with high sensitivity. The method is based on electrohydrodynamic nanodrip-printing of quantum dots into confocal monocrystalline arrays, rendering individually identifiable point light sources on compliant substrates. We demonstrate the undisrupted reference-free acquisition and quantification of high-resolution continuous force fields, and the simultaneous capability of this method to correlatively overlap traction forces with spatial localization of proteins revealed using immunofluorescence methods.
ETH Zurich, Laboratory of Thermodynamics in Emerging Technologies, Sonneggstrasse 3, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland.
Martin
M
Bergert
ETH Zurich, Laboratory of Thermodynamics in Emerging Technologies, Sonneggstrasse 3, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland.
Tobias
T
Lendenmann
ETH Zurich, Institute for Mechanical Systems, Leonhardstrasse 21, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland.
Manuel
M
Zündel
ETH Zurich, Institute for Mechanical Systems, Leonhardstrasse 21, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland.|Empa, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, Überlandstrasse 129, 8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland.
Alexander E
AE
Ehret
ETH Zurich, Institute for Visual Computing, Interactive Geometry Lab, Universitätstrasse 6, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland.|Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences, New York University, 719 Broadway, New York 10003, USA.
Daniele
D
Panozzo
ETH Zurich, Laboratory of Thermodynamics in Emerging Technologies, Sonneggstrasse 3, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland.
Patrizia
P
Richner
ETH Zurich, Optical Materials Engineering Laboratory, Leonhardstrasse 21, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland.
David K
DK
Kim
ETH Zurich, Optical Materials Engineering Laboratory, Leonhardstrasse 21, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland.
Stephan J P
SJ
Kress
ETH Zurich, Optical Materials Engineering Laboratory, Leonhardstrasse 21, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland.
David J
DJ
Norris
ETH Zurich, Institute for Visual Computing, Interactive Geometry Lab, Universitätstrasse 6, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland.
Olga
O
Sorkine-Hornung
ETH Zurich, Institute for Mechanical Systems, Leonhardstrasse 21, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland.|Empa, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, Überlandstrasse 129, 8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland.
Edoardo
E
Mazza
ETH Zurich, Laboratory of Thermodynamics in Emerging Technologies, Sonneggstrasse 3, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland.
Dimos
D
Poulikakos
ETH Zurich, Laboratory of Thermodynamics in Emerging Technologies, Sonneggstrasse 3, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland.
Aldo
A
Ferrari
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