QuantitativeAnalysisoftheViscoelasticPropertiesofThin.PDFVIP

Biophysical Journal Volume 86 March 2004 1777–1793 1777 Quantitative Analysis of the Viscoelastic Properties of Thin Regions of Fibroblasts Using Atomic Force Microscopy y ¨ z {|| R. E. Mahaffy,* S. Park,* E. Gerde,* J. Kas, and C. K. Shih* y z ¨ ¨ *Department of Physics, Center for Nonlinear Dynamics, University of Texas, Austin, Texas; Fakultat fur Physik und ¨ {Texas Materials Institute, ||Center for Geowissenschaften, Universitat Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany; and Nano and Molecular Science, University of Texas, Austin, Texas ABSTRACT Viscoelasticity of the leading edge, i.e., the lamellipodium, of a cell is the key property for a deeper understanding of the active extension of a cell’s leading edge. The fact that the lamellipodium of a cell is very thin (\1000 nm) imparts special challenges for accurate measurements of its viscoelastic behavior. It requires addressing strong substrate effects and comparatively high stresses ([1 kPa) on thin samples. We present the method for an atomic force microscopy-based microrheology that allows us to fully quantify the viscoelastic constants (elastic storage modulus, viscous loss modulus, and the Poisson ratio) of thin areas of a cell (\1000 nm) as well as those of thick areas. We account for substrate effects by applying two different models—a model for well-adhered regions (Chen model) and a model for nonadhered regions (Tu model). This method also provides detailed information about the adhered regions of a cell. The very thin regions relatively near the edge of