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Traction Force Measurement Using Deformable Microposts

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Fibrosis

Part of the book series: Methods in Molecular Biology ((MIMB,volume 1627))

Abstract

Recent findings suggest that mechanical forces strongly influence wound repair and fibrosis across multiple organ systems. Traction force is vital to the characterization of cellular responses to mechanical stimuli. Using hydrogel-based traction force microscopy, a FRET-based tension sensor, or microengineered cantilevers, the magnitude of traction forces can be measured. Here, we describe a traction force measurement methodology using a dense array of elastomeric microposts. This platform can be used to measure the traction force of a single cell or a colony of cells with or without geometric confinement.

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Acknowledgments

We acknowledge financial support from the Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, USA

    Tianfa Xie, Jamar Hawkins & Yubing Sun

Authors
  1. Tianfa Xie
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  2. Jamar Hawkins
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  3. Yubing Sun
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Yubing Sun .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Dermatology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA

    Laure Rittié

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Xie, T., Hawkins, J., Sun, Y. (2017). Traction Force Measurement Using Deformable Microposts. In: Rittié, L. (eds) Fibrosis. Methods in Molecular Biology, vol 1627. Humana Press, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-7113-8_16

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-7113-8_16

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  • Publisher Name: Humana Press, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4939-7112-1

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4939-7113-8

  • eBook Packages: Springer Protocols

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