Microfabricated Technologies for Cell Mechanics Studies

Abstract

Cells are constantly subjected to a variety of chemical and physico-mechanical cues (e.g. substrate stiffness, geometrical confinements and external mechanical forces) within their microenvironment. In turn, cells and tissues respond to these cues by altering their morphology (e.g. size and shape) and behavior (migration, proliferation and differentiation). While the role of chemical cues (growth factors etc.) in regulating cell behavior has been well studied, the importance of mechanical cues in regulating cell behavior is being understood only recently. In particular, microfabrication technologies have provided us with a number of versatile tools to effectively discriminate between the contribution of mechanical and chemical cues in regulating cell behavior. Originally developed for semiconductor industry, microfabrication tools have garnered significant interest by researchers working in the area of cell mechanics, cancer biology and regenerative medicine. These tools not only help in addressing specific questions in cell mechanics but also provide us with miniaturized high-throughput platforms for various diagnostic as well as therapeutic interventions. In this chapter, we give a general overview of some of the popular and important applications of microfabrication technologies to address various questions in cell and tissue mechanics. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.