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Mechanical Properties of CellsMany physiologic and pathologic processes alter the biomechanical properties of the tissue they affect, and these changes may be manifest at the single cell level. The normal and abnormal mechanical properties of a given cell type can be established with the aid of an atomic force microscope (AFM), nonetheless, consistency in the area of the tip has been a mayor limitation of using the AFM for quantitative measurements of mechanical properties. This project attempts to overcome this limitation by using materials with a known elastic modulus, which resembles the one of the cell, to create force-deformation curves to calculate the area of indentation by means of Hooke s Law (sigma = E(epsilon)), which states that stress (sigma) is proportional to the strain (epsilon) where the constant of proportionality, E, is called the Young s modulus, also referred as the elastic modulus. Hook s Law can be rearranged to find the area of indentation (Area= Force/ E(epsilon)), where the indentation force is defined by the means of the added mass spring calibration method.
Document ID
20070025052
Acquisition Source
Johnson Space Center
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Bradley, Robert
(NASA Johnson Space Center Houston, TX, United States)
Becerril, Joseph
(NASA Johnson Space Center Houston, TX, United States)
Jeevarajan, Anthony
(NASA Johnson Space Center Houston, TX, United States)
Date Acquired
August 23, 2013
Publication Date
August 8, 2007
Subject Category
Physics (General)
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Work of the US Gov. Public Use Permitted.

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