Imaging cellular forces with photonic crystals

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Abstract

Current techniques for visualizing and quantifying cellular forces have limitations in live cell imaging, throughput, and multi-scale analysis, which impede progress in cell force research and its practical applications. We developed a photonic crystal cellular force microscopy (PCCFM) to image vertical cell forces over a wide field of view (1.3 mm ⨯ 1.0 mm, a 10 ⨯ objective image) at high speed (about 20 frames per second) without references. The photonic crystal hydrogel substrate (PCS) converts micro-nano deformations into perceivable color changes, enabling in situ visualization and quantification of tiny vertical cell forces with high throughput. It enabled long-term, cross-scale monitoring from subcellular focal adhesions to tissue-level cell sheets and aggregates.

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Li, Q., Chen, Z., Zhang, Y., Ding, S., Ding, H., Wang, L., … Gu, Z. (2023). Imaging cellular forces with photonic crystals. Nature Communications, 14(1). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-43090-9

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