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- Contractile dynamics change before morphological cues during fluorescence illumination
Contractile dynamics change before morphological cues during fluorescence illumination
Authors
S. G. Knoll, W. W. Ahmed, T. A. Saif
Abstract
Abstract
Illumination can have adverse effects on live cells. However, many experiments, e.g. traction force microscopy, rely on fluorescence microscopy. Current methods to assess undesired photo-induced cell changes rely on qualitative observation of changes in cell morphology. Here we utilize a quantitative technique to identify the effect of light on cell contractility prior to morphological changes. Fibroblasts were cultured on soft elastic hydrogels embedded with fluorescent beads. The adherent cells generated contractile forces that deform the substrate. Beads were used as fiducial markers to quantify the substrate deformation over time, which serves as a measure of cell force dynamics. We find that cells exposed to moderate fluorescence illumination (λ = 540–585 nm,