Nanoscale optomechanical actuators for controlling mechanotransduction in living cells.

Liu, Zheng; Liu, Yang; Chang, Yuan; Seyf, Hamid Reza; Henry, Asegun; Mattheyses, Alexa L; Yehl, Kevin; Zhang, Yun et al. · Nat Methods · 2016

basic_science · Level V

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Abstract

To control receptor tension optically at the cell surface, we developed an approach involving optomechanical actuator nanoparticles that are controlled with near-infrared light. Illumination leads to particle collapse, delivering piconewton forces to specific cell surface receptors with high spatial and temporal resolution. We demonstrate optomechanical actuation by controlling integrin-based focal adhesion formation, cell protrusion and migration, and T cell receptor activation.

Medical subject headings