Aspiration of Biological Viscoelastic Drops
K. Guevorkian, M.J. Colbert, M. Durth, S. Dufour, and F. Brochard-Wyart
Phys. Rev. Lett. 104, 218101 (2010) [Accès à la revue]
Abstract: Spherical cellular aggregates are in vitro systems to study the physical and biophysical properties of tissues. We present a novel approach to characterize the mechanical properties of cellular aggregates using a micropipette aspiration technique. We observe an aspiration in two distinct regimes: a fast elastic deformation followed by a viscous flow. We develop a model based on this viscoelastic behavior to deduce the surface tension, viscosity, and elastic modulus. A major result is the increase of the surface tension with the applied force, interpreted as an effect of cellular mechanosensing.
Thème : Thème 2007-2010 : Développement, tissus
Equipe : Surfaces Douces (LPCIC)