Stochastic force dynamics generated by a Chlamydomonas microswimmer study with IMPETUX’s exclusive patented technology

Stochastic force dynamics generated by a Chlamydomonas microswimmer study with IMPETUX’s exclusive patented technology

Stochastic force dynamics generated by a Chlamydomonas microswimmer in Optical Tweezers studied using the photon momentum method:

 

Here we share an interesting publication from Dr. Ahmed Lab from the Department of Physics of the California State University Fullerton et al.

 “Stochastic force dynamics of the model microswimmer Chlamydomonas reinhardtii: Active forces and energetics

In this paper the authors study the stochastic force dynamics of a model microswimmer algae (Chlamydomonas reinhardtii), using a combined experimental, theoretical, and numerical approach.

For the experimental work they directly measured the stochastic forces generated by these algae using an optical trap via the photon momentum method.

“Optical trapping to manipulate and study microswimmers is not new”

they state

“ however, in-situ calibration is typically challenging. Here , direct force measurements are possible due to recent advances in optical trap calibration known as the photon momentum method…..”.

For this, the authors used an optical tweezers system from IMPETUX . IMPETUX products are the only optical tweezers systems in the market incorporating this patented calibration-free force-sensing technology.

The following video (courtesy of Dr Ahmed),  shows a optically trapped Chlamydomonas microswimmers and real-time X-Y force measurement.

 

The authors conclude that the photon momentum method, a part of providing other several advantages, is a key technique to study the force dynamics of microswimmers with complex force patterns not previously accessible.

You can have a look at the details of the results obtained and conclusions here

Enjoy the reading!

Congratulations to the authors!

 

📌If you are interested in how our optical tweezers system: SENSOCELL can be used for cell micro-rheology measurements, cell nucleus indentation experiments, neuron mechanosensation studies, among others applications,  do not hesitate to have a look at the application section or directly contact us.

Rheological measurements to understand Cell-ECM interactions with SENSOCELL

Rheological measurements to understand Cell-ECM interactions with SENSOCELL

Last week  we could read a fascinating project story related with one of our customers.

The project, led by Pere Roca-Cusachs at IBEC and entitled: Mechano·Control: mechanical control of biological function, aims to understand and control cellular mechanics from molecules to organs.

The project team is already achieving important goals and performing amazing experiments.

For example, they have been doing rheological measurements to understand Cell-ECM interactions and see how they can alter the mechanical properties of the cell cytoeskeleton with SENSOCELL.

The finding will help fight breast cancer.

For more details, have a look at the interesting interview with Zanetta Kechgia, a postdoc of the team led by Dr Pere Roca-Cusachs at IBEC here.

 

📌If you are interested in how our optical tweezers system: SENSOCELL can be used for cell micro-rheology measurements, cell nucleus indentation experiments, neuron mechanosensation studies, among others applications,  do not hesitate to have a look at the application section or directly contact us.

Microrheology experiments with IMPETUX’s exclusive patented technology

Microrheology experiments with IMPETUX’s exclusive patented technology

Capturing the complex active and passive material state of the cytoplasm using optical tweezers:

 

Here, we share an interesting preprint from Dr. Betz’s group at the Center for Molecular Biology of Inflammation from the Münster University and the Third Institute of Physics – Biophysics from the Georg August University Göttingen (Germany), entitled “Intracellular softening and fluidification reveals a mechanical switch of cytoskeletal material contributions during division”.

In this work, the authors use optical tweezers to show intracellular softening, fluidification and decrease of active forces in mitosis that is mediated by a surprising role switch between microtubules and actin.

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Microrheology experiments with IMPETUX’s exclusive patented technology

SENSOCELL to study mechanical properties of neurons during C. elegans locomotion

How mechanical properties of neurons regulate proprioception during C. elegans locomotion:

 

This 2021 starts with a new preprint available from the Neurophotonics & Mechanical Systems Biology group  at ICFO whose main research goal is to understand cell mechanical properties for health and disease on the molecular and systems level using Caenorhabditis (C.) elegans.

In this work entitled “Mechanical Stretch Inhibition Sensitizes Proprioceptors to Compressive Stresses”, the authors study how mechanical properties of neurons regulate proprioception during C. elegans locomotion.

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The characterization of cell membrane elasticity as a new potential biomarker for leukemia cells with IMPETUX technology

The characterization of cell membrane elasticity as a new potential biomarker for leukemia cells with IMPETUX technology

Characterizing cell membrane elasticity:

 

Researchers from the Optics Research Unit at De La Salle University and AIST-Osaka University have recently published and study where they have used a customized optical trapping system from IMPETUX to characterize cell membrane elasticity as a new potential biomarker for leukemia cells, comparing measurements for cells treated with anti-cancer drugs and untreated cells. You can  review all the  results here :

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How SENSOCELL offers the possibility to address fundamental questions about the mechanobiology of cells

How SENSOCELL offers the possibility to address fundamental questions about the mechanobiology of cells

Michael krieg

SENSOCELL is the ideal tool to bring mechanobiology and force measurements into animal model systems, such as C. elegans, Drosophila or Zebrafish.

Prof. Dr. MIchael Krieg

Neurophotonics and Mechanical Systems Biology, Institute of Photonics Sciences (ICFO)

Dr. Michael Krieg leads the Neurophotonics and Mechanical Systems Biology group at the Institute of Photonics Sciences (ICFO) in Barcelona. After a 6-year postdoc at Stanford University, Dr. Krieg landed at ICFO in 2017 with a Starting Grant from the ERC. During his career, Dr. Krieg has mainly focused in the use of AFM to study the mechanics of cells, with a particular interest in mechanosensation and -transduction.

With the help of a FEDER grant, Dr. Krieg’s lab co-funded a SENSOCELL optical tweezers system from IMPETUX integrated with spinning disk confocal microscopy. The combination of these two modalities is unique and sparks many different collaborations between biologists, microscopists and physicists from many different institutes.

The unique force measuring capabilities of SENSOCELL offer Dr. Krieg the possibility to address fundamental questions about the mechanobiology of cells. In a recent research [1], his group has shown the potential of IMPETUX’s technology to characterize the mechanical properties of nuclei inside suspended and confined cells. The flexibility of system is also key in the cell membrane tension experiments carried out by the group, where they study the interplay between mechanical forces and calcium signalling in neurons.

When asked about the SENSOCELL, Dr. Krieg says: “With the optical sectioning capacity of the spinning disk confocal and the ability to measure forces readily inside living cells and animals, this instrument is the ideal tool to bring mechanobiology and force measurements into animal model systems, such as C. elegans, Drosophila or Zebrafish.”

Useful links

Cell membrane forces application webpage

Nucleus mechanics webpage

livinglight.icfo.eu

 

References

[1] V. Venturi, F. Pezzano, F. Català-Castro, H.- M. Häkkinen, S. Jiménez-Delgado, M. Colomer-Rosell, M. Marro-Sánchez, Q. Tolosa-Ramon, S. Paz-López, M. A. Valverde, P. Loza-Alvarez, M. Krieg, S. Wieser and V. Ruprecht, “The nucleus measures shape changes for cellular proprioception to control dynamic cell behavior” SCIENCE | 16 Oct 2020: Vol. 370, Issue 6514, eaba2644. DOI: 10.1126/science.aba2644

Measuring forces, deformation and mechanical properties of cell nucleus with SENSOCELL

Measuring forces, deformation and mechanical properties of cell nucleus with SENSOCELL

Measuring the forces applied to the nucleus with SENSOCELL:

 

Researchers from Institut de Ciències Fotòniques (ICFO) , Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF) and University of Applied Science Upper Austria have recently published an amazing Science article in where they show that the nucleus, the biggest organelle in the cell, translates cell shape changes into a deformation signal regulating cell behavior.

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Collaborations to carry out cutting edge research

Collaborations to carry out cutting edge research

Impetux collaborates with several Mechanobiology Research projects.

Nucleux is one of them.

With an interdisciplinary vision: physics, biology, mathematics and medicine, the project aims to understand the basic mechanisms behind the complexity of the cell nucleus, and our Sensocell system will be key in this challenge.

With 6 research groups participating, after a first year of the project, this great team have already results and first publications!. Find out more about them here.

Congratulations!

 

Microrheology of soft biological samples using SENSOCELL optical tweezers.

Microrheology of soft biological samples using SENSOCELL optical tweezers.

Microrheology of soft biological samples using SENSOCELL optical tweezers.

 

It is already available an application note where we show how SENSOCELL optical tweezers can be used to measure the viscoelastic properties of soft hydrogels, extracellular matrices or living cells, with stiffnesses ranging from tens of Pa to several kPa and at probing frequencies up to the kHz regime.

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H2020 Funding

H2020 Funding

H2020 Funding

Aug 30, 2019

We are pleased to announce that IMPETUX has been awarded with the European Commission funding (SME phase 1 instrument), to explore and validate a revolutionary application of our patented technology for force measurement in tissues and living cells. The innovation that represents this new application, will have a high impact on biomedical research and will boost the company growth.

IMPETUX WITH BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH

IMPETUX with the Health Care sector:

IMPETUX is collaborating in the Innovation of the Health Care sector with Photonic Technologies Program designed by SECPHO (Southern European Cluster in Photonics & Optics) and ITEMAS ( Medical Technology Innovation Platform)

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Senén Vilaró Prize

Impetux has been awarded with the Senén Vilaró Prize for the best innovative company.

We are very proud and thankful for this important award given by the Social Council of the University of Barcelona and the Bosch i Gimpera Foundation. Thank you very much!!