Prof. Arvind Raman - University of Purdue

Title: Advances in Multi-frequency methods for fat mapping of mechanical properties of live cells

Abstract:

A longstanding goal in cell mechanobiology has been to link the dynamic processes underpinning cell migration, morphogenesis, and drug response to spatio-temporal changes in local mechanical properties such as viscoelasticity, surface tension and/or adhesion. This requires the development of quantitative mechanical microscopy methods with high spatio-temporal resolution within a single cell.

We present in this talk recent advances in the use of dynamic, multi-frequency methods to map the spatio-temporal changes in the nanomechanical properties of live cells over large areas. By combining fast feedback channels in dynamic AFM, multi-frequency Lorentz force excitation of the AFM cantilever, and accurate continuum models of cell mechanics it is possible to achieve 40x40 µm nanomechanical property images of live rat fibroblasts at 256x256 pixel resolution in 50 seconds. The method is used to study the spatio-temporal mechanical response of MDA-MB-231 breast carcinoma cells to the inhibition of Syk protein tyrosine kinase.