3D mechanical characterization of single cells and small organisms using acoustic manipulation and force microscopy

Nino F. Läubli, Jan T. Burri, Julian Marquard, Hannes Vogler, Gabriella Mosca, Nadia Vertti-Quintero, Naveen Shamsudhin, Andrew deMello, Ueli Grossniklaus, Daniel Ahmed () and Bradley J. Nelson
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Nino F. Läubli: Multi-Scale Robotics Lab, ETH Zurich
Jan T. Burri: Multi-Scale Robotics Lab, ETH Zurich
Julian Marquard: Multi-Scale Robotics Lab, ETH Zurich
Hannes Vogler: University of Zurich
Gabriella Mosca: University of Zurich
Nadia Vertti-Quintero: Institute for Chemical and Bioengineering, ETH Zurich, Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 1-5/10
Naveen Shamsudhin: Multi-Scale Robotics Lab, ETH Zurich
Andrew deMello: Institute for Chemical and Bioengineering, ETH Zurich, Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 1-5/10
Ueli Grossniklaus: University of Zurich
Daniel Ahmed: Multi-Scale Robotics Lab, ETH Zurich
Bradley J. Nelson: Multi-Scale Robotics Lab, ETH Zurich

Nature Communications, 2021, vol. 12, issue 1, 1-11

Abstract: Abstract Quantitative micromechanical characterization of single cells and multicellular tissues or organisms is of fundamental importance to the study of cellular growth, morphogenesis, and cell-cell interactions. However, due to limited manipulation capabilities at the microscale, systems used for mechanical characterizations struggle to provide complete three-dimensional coverage of individual specimens. Here, we combine an acoustically driven manipulation device with a micro-force sensor to freely rotate biological samples and quantify mechanical properties at multiple regions of interest within a specimen. The versatility of this tool is demonstrated through the analysis of single Lilium longiflorum pollen grains, in combination with numerical simulations, and individual Caenorhabditis elegans nematodes. It reveals local variations in apparent stiffness for single specimens, providing previously inaccessible information and datasets on mechanical properties that serve as the basis for biophysical modelling and allow deeper insights into the biomechanics of these living systems.

Date: 2021
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-22718-8

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