Combined Force Mapping and Fluorescence Microscopy System to Study Molecular Dynamics in Live Cells

摘要

Currently there is an interest in preserving mammalian cells in the dry state. Researchers believe that a key element to achieving this goal is the creation of a glassy state within the cell by adding sugars (disaccharides such as sucrose and trehalose) to the cell. This state is characterized by a significant increase in cytoplasm viscosity. The challenge has been to determine experimentally whether or not the cell has formed this glassy state during processing. The goal of the instrument development presented in this paper is to be able to determine the mechanical properties of cells in an environment that is non-destructive and which also enables the simultaneous use of optical methods of analysis. Knowing where and how the glass forms inside the cell would potentially lead to new techniques and the refinement of existing techniques which would direct research toward more economical and versatile cell preservation. Current work is focused on macroscopic metrics to characterize cell drying and anhydrous preservation success. To facilitate further research, an instrument capable of both physical and optical probing at the single cell and single molecule level is being developed.