Department of Bioengineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.
X-Chem, Inc., Waltham, Massachusetts, USA.
Nat Methods. 2014 Dec;11(12):1229-32. doi: 10.1038/nmeth.3145. Epub 2014 Oct 12.
We developed molecular tension probes (TPs) that report traction forces of adherent cells with high spatial resolution, can in principle be linked to virtually any surface, and obviate monitoring deformations of elastic substrates. TPs consist of DNA hairpins conjugated to fluorophore-quencher pairs that unfold and fluoresce when subjected to specific forces. We applied TPs to reveal that cellular traction forces are heterogeneous within focal adhesions and localized at their distal edges.
我们开发了分子张力探针 (TPs)，它们可以以高空间分辨率报告贴附细胞的牵引力，原则上可以与几乎任何表面连接，并且可以避免监测弹性基底的变形。TPs 由连接到荧光团淬灭剂对的 DNA 发夹组成，当受到特定力时会展开并发出荧光。我们应用 TPs 揭示了细胞牵引力在粘着斑内是不均匀的，并集中在其远端边缘。
