Study of the Subcellular Mechanical Properties of Live Cells in Tissues by Brillouin Scattering (CAT#: STEM-ST-0103-YJL)

Introduction

Extracellular matrices (ECMs) of both plants and metazoans ensure the coherence of organ growth by enabling neighboring cells to physically assemble and communicate. The ECM is a highly versatile structure that enables cells to acquire shapes that are adapted to the functional requirements of either soft or hard tissues, such as the brain or bones, respectively. The plasticity of the ECM in animals is regulated by the adhesive and structural functions of both glycosaminoglycans and fibrous proteins, such as collagen. In plants, ECMs have evolved into specialized molecular structures formed by a network of load-bearing stiff cellulose polymers sheltered in a matrix of structural, as well as signaling, glycoproteins. Animal and plant cells both degrade and reassemble the constituent polymers of their ECMs to alter their stiffness and adapt to changes in hydrostatic pressure. Thus, adaptation to fluctuating mechanical signals necessitates active regulation of the mechanical properties of the ECM.