S022033 Mechanical Feature Analysis of Mesenchymal stem cells

Abstract

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have been extensively investigated for their applications in regenerative medicine. Successful use of MSCs in cell-based therapies will rely on the ability to effectively identify their properties and functions with a relatively non-destructive methodology. In this study we measured the surface stiffness and thickness of rat MSCs with atomic force microscopy and clarified their relation at a single-cell level. The role of the perinuclear actin cap in regulating the thickness, stiffness, and proliferative activity of these cells was also determined by using several actin cytoskeleton-modifying reagents. This study has helped elucidate a possible link between the physical properties and the physiological function of MSCs, and the corresponding regulatory role of the actin cytoskeleton.