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Nano-opto-mechanical characterization of neuron membrane mechanics under cellular growth and differentiation

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Abstract

We designed and fabricated silicon probe with nanophotonic force sensor to directly stimulate neurons (PC12) and measured its effect on neurite initiation and elongation. A single-layer pitch-variable diffractive nanogratings was fabricated on silicon nitride probe using e-beam lithography, reactive ion etching and wet-etching techniques. The nanogratings consist of flexure folding beams suspended between two parallel cantilevers of known stiffness. The probe displacement, therefore the force, can be measured through grating transmission spectrum. We measured the mechanical membrane characteristics of PC12 cells using the force sensors with displacement range of 10 μm and force sensitivity 8 μN/μm. Young’s moduli of 425 ± 30 Pa are measured with membrane deflection of 1% for PC12 cells cultured on polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) substrate coated with collagen or laminin in Ham’s F-12K medium. In a series of measurements, we have also observed stimulation of directed neurite contraction up to 6 μm on extended probing for a time period of 30 min. This method is applicable to measure central neurons mechanics under subtle tensions for studies on development and morphogenesis. The close synergy between the nano-photonic measurements and neurological verification can improve our understanding of the effect of external conditions on the mechanical properties of cells during growth and differentiation.

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Acknowledgments

We would like to thank Microelectronics Research Center (MRC) and the Center for Nano and Molecular Science and Technology (CNM) at UT Austin for providing the microfabrication facilities. This study was supported in part by the National Science Foundation Nanoscale Exploratory Research Program (ECS-0609413).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biomedical Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, 1 University Station, ENS 12, Austin, TX, 78712-0238, USA

    Ashwini Gopal, Karthik Kumar, Kazunori Hoshino & Xiaojing Zhang

  2. Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78758, USA

    Zhiquan Luo, Bin Li & Paul S. Ho

  3. Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712, USA

    Jae Young Lee & Christine Schmidt

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  1. Ashwini Gopal
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  2. Zhiquan Luo
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  3. Jae Young Lee
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  4. Karthik Kumar
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  5. Bin Li
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  6. Kazunori Hoshino
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  7. Christine Schmidt
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  8. Paul S. Ho
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  9. Xiaojing Zhang
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Correspondence to Xiaojing Zhang.

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Gopal, A., Luo, Z., Lee, J.Y. et al. Nano-opto-mechanical characterization of neuron membrane mechanics under cellular growth and differentiation. Biomed Microdevices 10, 611–622 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10544-008-9172-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10544-008-9172-9

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