Cell traction force (CTF) is a kind of active force that is a cell senses external environment and actively applies to the contact matrix which is currently a representative stress in cell–extracellular matrix (ECM) interaction. Studying the distribution and variation of CTF during cell–ECM interaction help to explain the impact of physical factors on cell behaviors from the perspective of mechanobiology. However, most of the strategies of characterizing CTF are still limited by the measurement needs in three-dimensional (3D), quantitative characteristics and in vivo condition. Microsphere stress sensor (MSS) as a new type of technology is capable of realizing the quantitative characterization of CTF in 3D and in vivo. Herein, we employed microfluidic platform to design and fabricate MSS which possesses adjustable fluorescent performances, physical properties, and size ranges for better applicable to different cells (3T3, A549). Focusing on the common tumor cells behaviors (adhesion, spreading, and migration) in the process of metastasis, we chose SH-SY5Y as the representative research object in this work. We calculated CTF with the profile and distribution to demonstrate that the normal and shear stress can determined different cell behaviors. Additionally, CTF can also regulate cell adhesion, spreading, and migration in different cell states. Based on this method, the quantitative characterization of CFT of health and disease cells can be achieved, which further help to study and explore the potential mechanism of cell–ECM interaction.

中文翻译：

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水凝胶微球应力传感器定量表征肿瘤细胞对细胞外基质的牵引力


细胞牵引力（CTF）是细胞感知外部环境并主动施加于接触基质的主动力，是目前细胞与细胞外基质（ECM）相互作用中代表性的应力。研究细胞-ECM相互作用过程中CTF的分布和变化有助于从力学生物学的角度解释物理因素对细胞行为的影响。然而，大多数表征CTF的策略仍然受到三维（3D）、定量特征和体内条件的测量需求的限制。微球应力传感器（MSS）作为一种新型技术，能够实现CTF的3D和体内定量表征。在此，我们利用微流控平台设计和制造了具有可调节荧光性能、物理性质和尺寸范围的MSS，以更好地适用于不同的细胞（3T3、A549）。着眼于肿瘤细胞在转移过程中常见的行为（粘附、扩散和迁移），我们选择SH-SY5Y作为本工作的代表性研究对象。我们通过轮廓和分布计算了 CTF，以证明法向应力和剪切应力可以决定不同的细胞行为。此外，CTF还可以调节不同细胞状态下的细胞粘附、扩散和迁移。基于该方法，可以实现健康和疾病细胞CFT的定量表征，这进一步有助于研究和探索细胞-ECM相互作用的潜在机制。