Traction force microscopy. The human body contains about 37 trillion cells. In each tissue, cells are held together by an extracellular matrix -- a network of molecules that includes water, ...

So far, researchers have developed numerous tools to study the interplay between cells and their 3D microenvironment. One of the most popular technologies is traction force microscopy (TFM).

Traction force microscopy. The human body contains about 37 trillion cells. In each tissue, cells are held together by an extracellular matrix—a network of molecules that includes water, ...

So far, researchers have developed numerous tools to study the interplay between cells and their 3D microenvironment. One of the most popular technologies is traction force microscopy (TFM).

They applied 3-D single-cell traction force microscopy, a technique that uses fluorescent beads embedded along with cells in a collagen matrix, to measure that force. While a breast cancer cell pulls ...

For example, the resolution of this kind of traction force microscopy is about 0.5 micrometers, meaning that deformations smaller than this cannot be measured.

Three-dimensional traction force microscopy shows where and how hard this bone-like cell is pulling on the surrounding gel. Disclaimer: AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of ...

We have applied this method to single cells and multicellular constructs cultured in 3D, with a focus on cell-matrix interactions. Beyond this endpoint analysis technique, we also implement ...