Optical Rheology of Biological Cells

Falk Wottawah; Stefan Schinkinger; Bryan Lincoln; Revathi Ananthakrishnan; Maren Romeyke; Jochen Guck; Josef A. Käs

doi:10.1103/physrevlett.94.098103

Abstract

A step stress deforming suspended cells causes a passive relaxation, due to a transiently cross-linked isotropic actin cortex underlying the cellular membrane. The fluid-to-solid transition occurs at a relaxation time coinciding with unbinding times of actin cross-linking proteins. Elastic contributions from slowly relaxing entangled filaments are negligible. The symmetric geometry of suspended cells ensures minimal statistical variability in their viscoelastic properties in contrast with adherent cells and thus is defining for different cell types. Mechanical stimuli on time scales of minutes trigger active structural responses.

Keywords

ViscoelasticityRheologyActinCell cortexIsotropyBiophysicsRelaxation (psychology)Materials scienceStress relaxationMembraneMechanicsPhysicsCellOpticsClassical mechanicsChemistryCytoskeletonCell biologyBiologyKineticsComposite material

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Publication Info

Year: 2005
Type: article
Volume: 94
Issue: 9
Pages: 098103-098103
Citations: 228
Access: Closed

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APA Style

                            
                                
                                    Falk Wottawah, 
                                
                                    Stefan Schinkinger, 
                                
                                    Bryan Lincoln
                                
                                et al.
                            
                            (2005). 
                            Optical Rheology of Biological Cells. 
                            Physical Review Letters
                            , 94
                            (9)
                            , 098103-098103.
                            https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevlett.94.098103
                        

Identifiers

DOI: 10.1103/physrevlett.94.098103