Probing the Elasticity of Breast Cancer Cells Using AFM

Abstract

Malignant transformation is correlated with changes in cellular and nuclear structures and mechanical property of cancer cells. Here, atomic force microscopy (AFM) indentation using a spherical probe was carried out to characterize the elasticity of benign and cancerous human breast epithelial cells at both room temperature and physiological temperature. Our results show that malignant (MCF-7) breast cells have an apparent elastic modulus half of their nonmalignant (MCF-10A) counterparts at ambient temperature. Also as temperature increases from 24 °C to 37 °C, apparent elastic modulus of both benign and cancerous cells decreases, especially for MCF-10A. Our study demonstrates that as a result of the malignant transformation, the breast cancer cells become softer. This change may aid in facilitating easy migration and invasion during metastasis. Also, temperature, which may cause the change in cytoskeletal dynamics and structural remodeling, affects cell elasticity and must be taken into account when probing the mechanical property of cells. © 2009 International Federation of Medical and Biological Engineering.