The Institute of Photonic Sciences (ICFO)

2 ARTICLES PUBLISHED IN JoVE

Neuroscience

Using a Microfluidics Device for Mechanical Stimulation and High Resolution Imaging of C. elegans

Holger Fehlauer^*1, Adam L. Nekimken^*1,2, Anna A. Kim^1,2, Beth L. Pruitt^1,2,3, Miriam B. Goodman^1,2, Michael Krieg⁴

¹Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University, ²Department of Mechanical Engineering, Stanford University, ³Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, ⁴Group of Neurophotonics and Mechanical Systems Biology, The Institute of Photonic Sciences (ICFO)

New tools for mechanobiology research are needed to understand how mechanical stress activates biochemical pathways and elicits biological responses. Here, we showcase a new method for selective mechanical stimulation of immobilized animals with a microfluidic trap allowing high-resolution imaging of cellular responses.

Developmental Biology

Direct Force Measurements of Subcellular Mechanics in Confinement using Optical Tweezers

Frederic Català-Castro¹, Valeria Venturini^2,3, Santiago Ortiz-Vásquez¹, Verena Ruprecht^2,4, Michael Krieg¹

¹Neurophotonics and Mechanical Systems Biology, Institut de Ciències Fotòniques, ICFO, ²Center for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, ³Institut de Ciències Fotòniques, ICFO, ⁴Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF)

Here, we present a protocol to investigate the intracellular mechanical properties of isolated embryonic zebrafish cells in three-dimensional confinement with direct force measurement by an optical trap.