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Cell membrane deformations under magnetic force modulation characterized by optical tracking and non‐interferometric widefield profilometry
Author(s) -
Wang ChunChieh,
Jian HungJhang,
Wu ChihWei,
Lee ChauHwang
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
microscopy research and technique
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.536
H-Index - 118
eISSN - 1097-0029
pISSN - 1059-910X
DOI - 10.1002/jemt.20593
Subject(s) - interferometry , optics , modulation (music) , profilometer , physics , materials science , surface finish , acoustics , composite material
We measured cell membrane deformations under the modulation of piconewton magnetic force by using optical tracking and noninterferometric widefield optical profilometry. The magnetic force was applied to fibronectin‐coated paramagnetic beads that bound to transmembrane protein integrins. At an image‐acquisition rate of 20 frame/min, optical tracking provided positioning accuracy better than 70 nm for bead displacements on cell membranes, and optical profilometry obtained membrane topography with 20 nm depth resolution. We elucidated the correlation between the bead movements and membrane deformations. When the magnetic force dominated the bead movements, the membrane arose in front of the bead and the height increased with the bead velocity. On the other hand, when the bead was mainly driven by the cytoskeletons, the membrane profiles showed no relevance to the motion of the bead. In this case, the bead moved faster on smooth membranes. A model based on the dynamics of actin cytoskeletons is proposed to explain these observation results. Microsc. Res. Tech., 2008. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.