Scientific Publications related with optical tweezers
A wide optical tweezers review from different points of view.
Scientific Publications from IMPETUX’s customers:
A wide optical tweezers review for different applications with the latest publications with impressive examples and results obtained with our systems:
March 2021
Stochastic force dynamics of the model microswimmer Chlamydomonas reinhardtii: Active forces and energetics
Corbyn Jones, Mauricio Gomez, Ryan M. Muoio, Alex Vidal, Anthony Mcknight, Nicholas D. Brubaker, Wylie W. Ahmed.
Phys. Rev. E 103, 032403 – Published 5 March 2021. DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevE.103.032403
In this work, the authors use a customized optical trapping system from IMPETUX to study the stochastic force dynamics of a model microswimmer algaes (Chlamydomonas reinhardtii). In particular, they directly measure the stochastic forces generated by the algaes using an optical trap via the photon momentum method.
January 2021
Intracellular softening and fluidification reveals a mechanical switch of cytoskeletal material contributions during division
Sebastian Hurst, Bart E. Vos, Timo Betz
BioRxiv 2021.01.07.425761; doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2021.01.07.425761.
This article is a preprint
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.
Impetux's force sensor is used to measure the cytoplasm's fluidity and stiffness changes of dividing cells.
It is the first time that the cell mechanics is characterized during mitosis from the inside
December 2020
Mechanical Stretch Inhibition Sensitizes Proprioceptors to Compressive Stresses
Ravi Das, Li-Chun Lin, Frederic Català-Castro, Nawaphat Malaiwong, Neus Sanfeliu, Montserrat Porta-de-la-Riva, Aleksandra Pidde, Michael Krieg.
BioRxiv 2020.12.30.422571; doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2020.12.30.422571.
This article is a preprint.
In this work, researchers used our SENSOCELL Optical Tweezers platform in combination with Confocal microscopy to study neuron Ca2+ dynamics during axon membrane tether extrusion experiments.
October 2020
The nucleus measures shape deformation for cellular proprioception and regulates adaptive morphodynamics
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
SCIENCE | 16 Oct 2020: Vol. 370, Issue 6514, eaba2644. DOI: 10.1126/science.aba2644
For additional information, have a look at:
December 2020
In-vitro study of monocytic THP-1 leukemia cell membrane elasticity with a single-cell microfluidic-assisted optical trapping system
R. Ombid, G. Oyong, E. Cabrera, W. Espulgar, M. Saito, E. Tamiya, and R. Pobre
Biomed. Opt. Express 11, 6027-6037 (2020).
In this study, the authors 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.
May 2018
Optical Force Sensing with Cylindrical Microcontainers
R. Meissner, N. Oliver and C.Denz
Part. Part. Syst. Charact. 2018, 1800062.
November 2017
Influence of experimental parameters on the laser heating of an optical trap
F.Català, F. Marsà, M. Montes Usategui, A. Farré & E. Martín-Badosa
Fabruary 2017
Extending calibration-free force measurements to optically-trapped rod-shaped samples
Frederic Català, Ferran Marsà, Mario Montes-Usategui, Arnau Farré and Estela Martín-Badosa
Sci. Rep. 7, 42960; doi: 10.1038/srep42960 (2017).
July 2016
Optical tweezers for force measurements and rheological studies on biological samples
R. Bola, F. Català. M. Montes-Usategui, E. Martín-Badosa.
15th workshop on Information Optics (WIO), 2016.
Application Notes from the IMPETUX’s team of scientists
Here you will find the latest application notes released:

Micro-rheology of soft biological samples using optical tweezers

Measurement of the stall force of kinesins in living cells
Scientific Publications about IMPETUX’s technology:
In this last section you will find a compilation of the different publications where the core technology of our systems is described and analysed:
January 2021
Direct measurement of individual optical forces in ensembles of trapped particles
Franziska Strasser, Simon Moser, Monika Ritsch-Marte, and Gregor Thalhammer
Optica, Vol. 8, Issue 1, pp. 79-87, (2021), https://doi.org/10.1364/OPTICA.410494
In this work the authors have developed a technique that allows to combine the "momentum method" for measuring forces with multiple holographic optical traps.
July 2016
Force measurement in the manipulation of complex samples with holographic optical tweezers
Martín-Badosa, F. Català, J. Mas, M. Montes-Usategui, A. Farré, F. Marsà.
October 2015
Enzyme-Powered Hollow Mesoporous Janus Nanomotors
Xing Ma, Anita Jannasch, Urban-Raphael Albrecht, Kersten Hahn, Albert Miguel-López, Erik Schäffer, and Samuel Sánchez
"Using optical tweezers, we directly measured a holding force of 64 ± 16 fN, which was necessary to counteract the effective self-propulsion force generated by a single nanomotor. The successful demonstration of biocompatible enzyme-powered active nanomotors using biologically benign fuels has a great potential for future biomedical applications."
September 2015
Enhanced Optical Manipulation of Cells Using Antireflection Coated Microparticles
Derek Craig, Alison McDonald, Michael Mazilu, Helen Rendall, Frank Gunn-Moore, and Kishan Dholakia
In molecular studies, an optically trapped bead may be functionalized to attach to a specific molecule, whereas in cell studies, direct manipulation with the optical field is usually employed. Using this approach, several methods may be used to measure forces with an optical trap. However, each has its limitations and requires an accurate knowledge of the sample parameters.6,7 In particular, force measurements can be challenging when working with nonspherical particles or in environments with an inhomogeneous viscosity, such as inside the cell. Recent developments in the field are moving toward obtaining direct force measurements by detecting light momentum changes. For this approach, the calibration factor only comes from the detection instrumentation and negates the requirement to recalibrate for changes in experimental conditions”.
August 2015
Enhanced optical trapping via structured scattering
Michael A. Taylor, Muhammad Waleed, Alexander B. Stilgoe, Halina Rubinsztein-Dunlop and Warwick P. Bowen
March 2015
Direct measurement of axial optical forces
Gregor Thalhammer, Lisa Obmascher, and Monika Ritsch-Marte
Optics Express, Vol. 23, Issue 5, pp. 6112-6129, (2015), https://doi.org/10.1364/OE.23.006112
September 2014
Calibration of Optical Tweezers for In Vivo Force Measurements: How do Different Approaches Compare?
Y. Jun, S.K. Tripathy, B.R.J. Narayanareddy, M. K. Mattson-Hoss, S.P. Gross
Biophysical Journal, Volume 107, Issue 6, P1474-1484, September 16, 2014, DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bpj.2014.07.033
Here, the authors present a comparison between two different methods for measuring forces inside living cells and provide measurements of the stall force of kinesin in vivo using the momentum-based approach.
September 2014
The measurement of light momentum shines the path towards the cell
A. Farré, E. Martín-Badosa and M. Montes-Usategui.
Optica Pura y Aplicada 47(3):239-248, September 2014 DOI: 10.7149/OPA.47.3.239
September 2014
A force measurement instrument for optical tweezers based on the detection of light momentum changes
A. Farré, F. Marsà, and M. Montes-Usategui.
Proceedings Volume 9164, Optical Trapping and Optical Micromanipulation XI; 916412 (2014) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2061911
Event: SPIE NanoScience + Engineering, 2014, San Diego, California, United States
September 2014
Force measurements with optical tweezers inside living cells
J. Mas, A. Farré, J. Sancho-Parramon, E. Martín-Badosa, and M. Montes-Usategui
Proceedings Volume 9164, Optical Trapping and Optical Micromanipulation XI; 91640U (2014) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2061919
Event: SPIE NanoScience + Engineering, 2014, San Diego, California, United States
September 2014
Momentum measurements with holographic optical tweezers for exploring force detection capabilities on irregular samples
F. Català, F. Marsà, A. Farré, M. Montes-Usategui, and E. Martín-Badosa
Proceedings Volume 9164, Optical Trapping and Optical Micromanipulation XI; 91640A (2014) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2061940
Event: SPIE NanoScience + Engineering, 2014, San Diego, California, United States
May 2012
Optimized back-focal-plane interferometry directly measures forces of optically trapped particles
A. Farré, F. Marsà, and M. Montes-Usategui
Optics Express, Vol. 20, Issue 11, pp. 12270-12291, (2012), https://doi.org/10.1364/OE.20.012270
This manuscript shows the relation between the determination of momentum measurements and back-focal-plane interferometry, and details how to obtain the force response of the sensor both from first principles and from its connection with trap stiffness calibration.
May 2010
A force detection technique for single-beam optical traps based on direct measurement of light momentum changes
A. Farré and M. Montes-Usategui.
Optics Express, Vol. 18, Issue 11, pp. 11955-11968, (2010), https://doi.org/10.1364/OE.18.011955
In this work, the authors show the feasibility of combining optical tweezers (single-beam gradient traps) with the determination of forces using the measurement of the light momentum change.
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