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Microrheology experiments with IMPETUX’s exclusive patented technology

Microrheology experiments with IMPETUX’s exclusive patented technology

Capturing the complex active and passive material state of the cytoplasm using optical tweezers:

 

Here, we share an interesting preprint from Dr. Betz’s group at the Center for Molecular Biology of Inflammation from the Münster University and the Third Institute of Physics – Biophysics from the Georg August University Göttingen (Germany), entitled “Intracellular softening and fluidification reveals a mechanical switch of cytoskeletal material contributions during division”.

In this work, the authors use optical tweezers to show intracellular softening, fluidification and decrease of active forces in mitosis that is mediated by a surprising role switch between microtubules and actin.

They could capture the complex active and passive material state of the cytoplasm using optical tweezers-based microrheology together with our Force Sensor module.

You can have a look at the details of the results obtained and conclusions here

Enjoy the reading!

Congratulations to the authors !

 

📌The Force Sensor module is part of our SENSOCELL optical tweezers platform and is based upon IMPETUX’s exclusive patented technology that gives direct access to the force applied by the tweezers on any trapped object, even in cells, without previous calibration.

If you want to know more about the capabilities of the SENSOCELL and how it can help you in your research, do not hesitate to contact us

More news:

Fig. 1

Time dependence of trap position (top), force signal (middle) and Ca2+ fluorescence signal (bottom) recorded during a membrane tether pulling experiment. The force and Ca2+ ion channel activity signals exhibit negative correlation.

Fig. 2

Force and displacement data for two beads stimulated at frequencies of 4 Hz and 0.25 Hz. The progressive reduction of the beads displacement is in concomitancy with an increase of the applied force and loading rate.

Fig. 1

Schematic representation of the optical tweezers experiment. A fibronectin-coated bead is trapped, brought into contact with the cell membrane and stimulated with oscillations at different frequencies.

Fig.2

Time dependence of trap 1 and trap 2 position (top) and force (bottom) data along the different steps of the described dual tether pulling experiment.

Fig.1

Confocal video of the described dual tether pulling assay performed on a neuron axon. Courtesy of M. Krieg lab (ICFO).

Fig. 1

Time dependence of trap position (top), force signal (middle) and Ca2+ fluorescence signal (bottom) recorded during a membrane tether pulling experiment. The force and Ca2+ ion channel activity signals exhibit negative correlation.

Video 1

Confocal video showing a DVA neuron Ca2+ ion channel activity in a dynamic optical trapping assay. The pulling rate applied to the membrane tether is progressively increased. Scale bar = 5µm. Acquired at 10Hz.