MATERIALS SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING. C, BIOMIMETIC MATERIALS, SENSORS AND SYSTEMS
Abstract
AFM was used to collect the whole force–deformation cell curves. They provide both the elasticity and adhesion
behavior of mouse primary cardiac fibroblasts. To confirm the hypothesis that a link exists between the membrane
receptors and the cytoskeletal filaments causing therefore changing in both elasticity and adhesion behavior,
actin-destabilizing Cytochalsin D was administrated to the fibroblasts. From immunofluorescence
observation and AFM loading/unloading curves, cytoskeletal reorganization as well as a change in the elasticity
and adhesion was indeed observed.
Elasticity of control fibroblasts is three times higher than that for fibroblasts treated with 0.5 μMCytochalasin. Moreover,
AFM loading–unloading curves clearly show the different mechanical behavior of the two different cells analyzed:
(i) for control cells the AFM cantilever rises during the dwell time while cells with Cytochalasin fail to show
such an active resistance; (ii) the maximumforce to deform control cells is quite higher and as far as adhesion is concern
(iii) the maximum separation force, detachment area and the detachment process time are much larger for
control compared to the Cytochalasin treated cells. Therefore, alterations in the cytoskeleton suggest that a link
must exist between the membrane receptors and the cytoskeletal filaments beneath the cellular surface and inhibition
of actin polymerization has effects on the whole cell mechanical behavior as well as adhesion.
