Micropillar substrates: a tool for studying cell mechanobiology.
Mukund Gupta, Leyla Kocgozlu, Bibhu Ranjan Sarangi, Felix Margadant, Mohammed Ashraf, Benoit Ladoux
Author Information
Mukund Gupta: Mechanobiology Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore.
Leyla Kocgozlu: Mechanobiology Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore.
Bibhu Ranjan Sarangi: Institut Jacques Monod (IJM), CNRS UMR 7592 & Université Paris Diderot, Paris, France.
Felix Margadant: Mechanobiology Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore.
Mohammed Ashraf: Mechanobiology Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore.
Benoit Ladoux: Mechanobiology Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore; Institut Jacques Monod (IJM), CNRS UMR 7592 & Université Paris Diderot, Paris, France.
Increasing evidence has shown that mechanical cues from the environment play an important role in cell biology. Mechanotransduction or the study of how cells can sense these mechanical cues, and respond to them, is an active field of research. However, it is still not clear how cells sense and respond to mechanical cues. Thus, new tools are being rapidly developed to quantitatively study cell mechanobiology. Particularly, force measurement tools such as micropillar substrates have provided new insights into the underlying mechanisms of mechanosensing. In this chapter, we provide detailed protocol for fabrication, characterization, functionalization, and use of the micropillar substrates.
