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Single-Cell Biophysics: Measurement, Modulation, and Modeling
Poster Abstracts
79
69-POS
Board 35
Three-Dimensional Traction Force Microscopy
Giovanni Paylaga
1,2
, Yu-chi Ai
1
, Hsuan Yang
1
, Hung-hui Lee
3
, Jia-yang Juang
3
, Keng-hui Lin
1
.
1
Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan,
2
National Central University, Taoyuan, Taiwan,
3
National
Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.
Cells in vivo are grown in a three-dimensional context. In our lab, we found that when placing
cells in a spherical pore, cells exhibit three-dimensional (3D) morphology and organization. In
this poster, we present a method to measure 3D traction force of a cell placed in a pore. We
embedded marker particles in the substrate and tracked their movement from stressed state to no-
cell state. Based on the displacement of marker particles, we interpolate displacement field onto
the spherical surface. Using finite element method, we computed the stress exerted by the cell.
We also simulated traction stress exerted by a cell and checked the recovery stress at various
particle density and accuracy. Based on our simulation results, we are confident that we can
recover 3D traction stress exerted by the cell in a pore. Our result can be combined with our
other investigation on pore size effect on cell volume. Together, we are building tools to study
the mechanobiology in 3D.