Spinning-Disk Microscope with optical Tweezer

理解支配生物系统功能的力学原理是现代研究的一个关键目标。细胞和组织力学的重要性对于定量描述在发育和组织形成过程中发生的动态过程是基本的，在癌症中也是如此。我们使用光学镊子在单个细胞和组织中同时执行主动和被动微观流变学。为了能够将力的产生以及粘弹性特性分配给贴壁细胞或有丝分裂细胞中的不同区域，以及胚胎丢失以及癌症球体或重组肌肉中的不同区域，必须使用3D荧光技术来识别这些区域。我们将在所要求的旋转盘显微镜中连接一个光学镊子，而镊子和显微镜将由一个来自自编写的软件来操作。除了微观流变学，其他项目还将利用旋转圆盘显微镜的快速3D能力，使用2.5D牵引力显微镜测量单个细胞和单层的基质力。特别令人感兴趣的是由狭窄的缝隙产生的细胞在紧密限制中迁移的牵引力。利用嵌入到单个细胞或整个组织中的弹性水凝胶微珠，我们可以确定这些系统中的机械张力。这些弹性张力传感器为重组肌肉组织的运动和力的产生提供了新的见解。

Understanding the mechanical principles governing the function of biological systems is a key goal of modern research. The importance of cell and tissue mechanics is fundamental for a quantitative description of the dynamical processes occurring during development and tissue formation but also in cancer. We use optical tweezers to perform simultaneous active and passive microrheology in single cells and tissue. In order to be able to assign the force generation as well as the viscoelastic properties to the different regions in adherent or mitotic cells, but also with embryonic loss as well as cancer spheroids or reconstituted muscle muscles, these have to be identified with a 3D fluorescence technique. We will couple an optical tweezer in the requested Spinning Disk microscope and the tweezers as well as the microscope will be piloted by a from self-written software. Besides microrheology, other projects will also make use of the rapid 3D capacity of the spinning disc microscope to measure substrate forces of individual cells and monolayers using 2.5D traction force microscopy. Of special interest are the traction force of cell migration in close confinement generated by a narrow gap. Using elastic hydrogel beads embedded in single cells or whole tissue, we can determine the mechanical tension in these systems. These elastic tension sensors promise new insights into the motion and force generation of reconstituted muscle tissue.