Elasticity of Human Embryonic Stem Cells as Determined by Atomic Force Microscopy

2011 ◽  
Vol 133 (10) ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert Kiss ◽  
Henry Bock ◽  
Steve Pells ◽  
Elisabetta Canetta ◽  
Ashok K. Adya ◽  
...  

The expansive growth and differentiation potential of human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) make them a promising source of cells for regenerative medicine. However, this promise is off set by the propensity for spontaneous or uncontrolled differentiation to result in heterogeneous cell populations. Cell elasticity has recently been shown to characterize particular cell phenotypes, with undifferentiated and differentiated cells sometimes showing significant differences in their elasticities. In this study, we determined the Young’s modulus of hESCs by atomic force microscopy using a pyramidal tip. Using this method we are able to take point measurements of elasticity at multiple locations on a single cell, allowing local variations due to cell structure to be identified. We found considerable differences in the elasticity of the analyzed hESCs, reflected by a broad range of Young’s modulus (0.05-10 kPa). This surprisingly high variation suggests that elasticity could serve as the basis of a simple and efficient large scale purification/separation technique to discriminate subpopulations of hESCs.

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ridim D Mote ◽  
Jyoti Yadav ◽  
Surya Bansi Singh ◽  
Mahak Tiwari ◽  
Shivprasad Patil ◽  
...  

AbstractMouse embryonic stem cells (mESCs) display unique mechanical properties, including low cell stiffness, and specific responses to features of the underlying substratum. Using atomic force microscopy (AFM), we demonstrate that mESCs lacking the clathrin heavy chain (Cltc), display higher Young’s modulus, indicative of greater cellular stiffness, in comparison to WT mESCs. We have previously shown that mESCs lacking Cltc display a loss of pluripotency, and an initiation of differentiation. The increased stiffness observed in these cells was accompanied by the presence of actin stress fibres and accumulation of the inactive, phosphorylated, actin binding protein, Cofilin. Treatment of Cltc knockdown mESCs with actin polymerization inhibitors resulted in a decrease in the Young’s modulus, to values similar to those obtained with WT mESCs. However, the expression profile of pluripotency factors was not rescued. This indicates that a restoration of mechanical properties, through modulation of the actin cytoskeleton, may not always be accompanied by a change in the expression of critical transcription factors that regulate the state of a stem cell, and that this may be dependent on the presence of active endocytosis in a cell.


Soft Matter ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 14 (16) ◽  
pp. 3192-3201 ◽  
Author(s):  
Srinivas Mettu ◽  
Qianyu Ye ◽  
Meifang Zhou ◽  
Raymond Dagastine ◽  
Muthupandian Ashokkumar

Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) is used to measure the stiffness and Young's modulus of individual microcapsules that have a chitosan cross-linked shell encapsulating tetradecane.


Nanoscale ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (27) ◽  
pp. 13022-13027 ◽  
Author(s):  
Basant Chitara ◽  
Assaf Ya'akobovitz

The present study highlights the elastic properties of suspended GaS, GaSe and GaTe nanosheets using atomic force microscopy. GaS exhibited the highest Young's modulus (∼173 GPa) among these nanosheets. These materials can withstand maximal stresses of up to 8 GPa and a maximal strain of 7% before breaking, making them suitable for stretchable electronic and optomechanical devices.


2007 ◽  
Vol 334-335 ◽  
pp. 761-764
Author(s):  
D.H. Choi ◽  
C.W. Lee ◽  
P.S. Lee ◽  
J.H. Lee ◽  
W. Hwang ◽  
...  

Young’s modulus of nanohoneycomb structures in the vertical direction relative to the pore (generally along the beam length) is measured according to the porosity from bending tests in atomic force microscopy (AFM). The pore diameters of the nanohoneycomb structures are from about 30 to 60 nm. To determine the Young’s modulus of the nanohoneycomb structures, the area moment of inertia of the nanohoneycomb structure is determined according to the arrangement of the pores. The area moment of inertia of the nanohoneycomb structure is found to be affected by the porosity of the nanohoneycomb structures. The Young’s modulus of the nanohoneycomb structures decreases as a function of the porosity in a large range.


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