<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

<p>There are several possible ways to measure the contraction of cells <italic>in vitro</italic>. Here, we report measurements of the contractile properties of 3T3-L1 cells grown to confluence on 3D hollow capsules. The capsules were fabricated using the layer-by-layer polyelectrolyte deposition technique on a polymer core. After the polyelectrolyte film was completed, the core was dissolved to leave the hollow capsule. The contractile force of the cells was determined from the deformation in the capsule size induced by interruption of the actin cytoskeleton of the cells that adhered to the outer surface of the hollow capsules, using prior measurements of the elastic modulus of the capsule. From the measurements of the compressive modulus for the capsules (of 6.52 μN), those capsule deformations indicate that the forskolin relaxed the layer of cells by 19.6 μN and the cytochalasin-D relaxed the layer of cells by 45.6 μN. The density of cells in the layer indicated that the force associated with the forskolin-induced relaxation of a single cell is 3.2 nN and the force associated with the cytochalasin-D-induced relaxation of a single cell is 7.5 nN. The mechanism of action of forskolin through second messenger pathways to disrupt the assembly of actin stress fibres also explains its reduced effect on cell contraction compared to that for cytochalasin-D, which is a compound that directly inhibits the polymerization of F-actin filaments.</p>
</abstract>

There are several possible ways to measure the contraction of cells in vitro. Here, we report measurements of the contractile properties of 3T3-L1 cells grown to confluence on 3D hollow capsules. The capsules were fabricated using the layer-by-layer polyelectrolyte deposition technique on a polymer core. After the polyelectrolyte film was completed, the core was dissolved to leave the hollow capsule. The contractile force of the cells was determined from the deformation in the capsule size induced by interruption of the actin cytoskeleton of the cells that adhered to the outer surface of the hollow capsules, using prior measurements of the elastic modulus of the capsule. From the measurements of the compressive modulus for the capsules (of 6.52 μN), those capsule deformations indicate that the forskolin relaxed the layer of cells by 19.6 μN and the cytochalasin-D relaxed the layer of cells by 45.6 μN. The density of cells in the layer indicated that the force associated with the forskolin-induced relaxation of a single cell is 3.2 nN and the force associated with the cytochalasin-D-induced relaxation of a single cell is 7.5 nN. The mechanism of action of forskolin through second messenger pathways to disrupt the assembly of actin stress fibres also explains its reduced effect on cell contraction compared to that for cytochalasin-D, which is a compound that directly inhibits the polymerization of F-actin filaments.

Cell contractile force measured using a deformable hollow capsule

The EuroBiotech Journal

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

{"article-title":"Cell contractile force measured using a deformable hollow capsule"}

There are several possible ways to measure the contraction of cells in vitro. Here, we report measurements of the contractile properties of 3T3-L1 cells grown...

Cell contractile force measured using a deformable hollow capsule

Published Online: Apr 30, 2022

Page range: 89 - 98

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/ebtj-2022-0009

Keywords
3T3-L1 cell, contractile force, hollow capsule, deformation

© 2022 Julia Ho Yee Ting et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Cell contractile force measured using a deformable hollow capsule

Published Online: Apr 30, 2022

Page range: 89 - 98

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/ebtj-2022-0009

Keywords3T3-L1 cell, contractile force, hollow capsule, deformation

© 2022 Julia Ho Yee Ting et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Keywords
3T3-L1 cell, contractile force, hollow capsule, deformation