https://doi.org/10.1140/epjp/i2015-15202-6
Regular Article
Local mechanical properties of bladder cancer cells measured by AFM as a signature of metastatic potential
1
Univ. Grenoble Alpes, LIPHY, F-38000, Grenoble, France
2
CNRS, LIPHY, F-38000, Grenoble, France
3
INSERM, IAB, F-38000, Grenoble, France
4
Univ. Grenoble Alpes, IAB, F-38000, Grenoble, France
* e-mail: claude.verdier@ujf-grenoble.fr
Received:
15
June
2015
Revised:
15
August
2015
Accepted:
8
September
2015
Published online:
13
October
2015
The rheological properties of bladder cancer cells of different invasivities have been investigated using a microrheological technique well adapted in the range [1-300Hz] of interest to understand local changes in the cytoskeleton microstructure, in particular actin fibres. Drugs disrupting actin and acto-myosin functions were used to study the resistance of such cancer cells. Results on a variety of cell lines were fitted with a model revealing the importance of two parameters, the elastic shear plateau modulus G N 0 as well as the glassy transition frequency f T. These parameters are good markers for invasiveness, with the notable exception of the cell periphery, which is stiffer for less invasive cells, and could be of importance in cancer metastasis.
© The Author(s), 2015
