"The elasticity of the cell cytoskeleton : some experiments with optical
tweezers"
Sylvie Hénon
Laboratoire de Biorheology et d'Hydrodynamique Physico-chimique
Universités de Paris 6 et 7. Paris, France
Abstract
The mechanical behavior of living cells is mostly determined by its
cytoskeleton, a complex structure of proteins, which play a determinant
role in the shape and motility of the cells. The mechanical properties of
some living cells were assessed with optical tweezers, a technique that
allows the manipulation of small dielectric objects, such as micron-sized beads.
The beads serve as handles to apply a controlled stress to the cell. I will
present results obtained on a simple biological system (the membrane of the
red blood cell and its skeleton), and on a more complex one (pulmonary
epithelial cells in culture).
Elizabeth K. Mann