Mechanical response of single nerve cells estimated by femtosecond laser-induced impulsive force

摘要

Single nerve cell's mechanical response is an important issue for understanding function of nerve system, though, the response has been rarely clear. One of the factors is difficulty to stimulate the single cells by quantitative and controllable mechanical stress with subcellular spatial selectivity. As such mechanical stimulator, our group has focused on shock and stress waves generated by focusing the femtosecond laser under a microscope. When those waves impact on the biological cell, they act as an impulsive force. Although the impulsive force is available as a mechanical manipulator of the single cells, it was not confirmed that it could stimulate the nerve cells. Here we investigated the issue using neuro2a cells extending their neurite as an experimental model of nerve cell. Our results indicated that the impulsive force could be available as the stimulator to cause the mechanical response of the neuro2a cell.