Cells generate traction by interacting with the extracellular matrix during migration invasion, contraction, and diastole. Although cellular traction is extremely small, it has an essential biological impact, and CD BioSciences has a well-developed cellular mechanics testing platform to help customers perform dynamic mechanical characterization of cellular materials.
Technology for Quantifying Cellular Traction
Cells generate mechanical forces (traction forces, TF) when interacting with the extracellular matrix or neighboring cells. Forces are generated by the cell and the extracellular matrix (ECM) and are transmitted in cell-ECM or cell-cell contacts involving adhesive patches or adherent junctions. The answers to how cells sense, adapt and respond to mechanical forces reveal their role in controlling and regulating cellular behavior under normal and pathological conditions.
Adherent cells must attach to a suitable substrate or ECM to grow and survive. During cell adhesion, cells apply traction forces generated by actin contraction to the ECM due to the mechanical balance between internal forces and adhesion structures, which is necessary for various biological processes.
Procedure for measuring cell traction [1].
Traction force microscopy (TFM) is a well-established technique traditionally used by biophysicists to quantify the forces exerted by adherent biological cells on their microenvironment. As a light microscopy-based technique, TFM does not involve specialized metrology tools or direct contact with cells, and thus can be implemented inexpensively and simply incorporated into most experimental workflows. In addition, TFM can be implemented in smaller quantities using cheaper materials than those typically used for collagen compaction-based fibroblast contractility assays.
Our Services
Cells generate mechanical forces (traction forces, TF) when interacting with the extracellular matrix or neighboring cells. Forces are generated by the cell and extracellular matrix (ECM) and are transmitted in cell-ECM or cell-cell contacts involving adhesion patches or adherent junctions. CD BioSciences offers researchers traction force assays for all types of cells with its highly accurate cell traction force analysis platform.
- Cancer Cell Traction Assay
Detecting changes in traction at the cellular level may be a means of early detection of cancer. With our rich experience in biomechanical research, we provide traction detection services for various types of cancer cells to help our clients observe the state of cells at different times of cancer more visually from the cellular perspective.
- Effect of Drugs on Cancer Cells Traction
The alteration of cytoskeleton components is related to the traction properties of cancer cells. We provide various types of cytoskeleton disruptors and study the effect of drugs on the traction of cancer cells to help our clients in their anti-cancer drug research.
We have extensive experience in cell mechanics' research; we have been focusing on providing a high-quality biomechanical research platform and providing our customers with various cell mechanical properties detection services. For more information about our services, please feel free to contact us.
Reference
- Lekka M, et al. Traction force microscopy–Measuring the forces exerted by cells[J]. Micron, 2021, 150: 103138.
For research use only. Not intended for any clinical use.
