In pursuit of the mechanics that shape cell surfaces

Abstract

Robust and responsive, the surface of a cell is as important as its interior when it comes to mechanically regulating form and function. New techniques are shedding light on this role, and a common language to describe its properties is now needed.

Fig. 1 |. Schematics of methods to characterize the cell surface.

Understanding how cell shape is controlled at the molecular level requires a combination of quantitative experiments and physical modelling to relate the microscopic organization and dynamics of cortical and membrane components to global mechanical properties. See Table 1 for an overview of current techniques for quantifying cell surface mechanical properties of single cells, corresponding to the schematics pictured here. For techniques relevant to tissue mechanics and active force generation, we refer the reader to excellent recent reviews^–. a, Tether pulling using AFM. b, Interferometric particle detection using optical tweezers. c, Tether pulling using optical or magnetic tweezers. d, Tether pulling using shear fluid. e, AFM compression with a flat cantilever. f, Dual plate compression. g, Laser ablation. h, Micropipette aspiration. i, AFM indentation. j, Brillouin microscopy. k, Magnetic twisting cytometry. l, Electron microscopy. m, Fluorescence microscopy. n, Flicker spectroscopy. o, Molecular rotors and flippers combined with FLIM. Panel l reproduced from ref. , EMBO.