Stem cell characterization using atomic force microscopy

描述（由申请人提供）：脂肪来源的成体基质/干（ADAS）细胞为生物医学工程领域带来了令人兴奋的机会。ADAS细胞为组织再生程序提供了充足的多能细胞来源。目前的研究表明，这些细胞可以分化成多种细胞类型。培养基补充剂可以帮助引导干细胞向感兴趣的特定谱系：软骨细胞、成骨细胞和脂肪细胞。本研究的目的是确定干细胞在分化过程中生物力学变化的程度。我们假设细胞的生物力学特性在分化过程中会缓慢变化，但最终会分化成更具有特定细胞类型特征的细胞。为了测试这一点，我们将使用原子力显微镜确定单个ADAS细胞在分化过程中的弹性和粘弹性。将获得的机械性能包括瞬时，松弛，杨氏模量和表观粘度。与原代细胞类型的比较将有助于确定ADAS细胞是否在细胞生物力学方面成功分化。这些研究将显著提高我们对干细胞分化过程中细胞水平变化的理解。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Adipose-derived adult stromal/stem (ADAS) cells pose exciting opportunities for the field of biomedical engineering. ADAS cells provide an ample source of multipotent cells for tissue regeneration procedures. Current research has shown that these cells can be differentiated into a variety of cell types. Media supplements can help guide the stem cells towards specific lineages of interest: chondrocytic, osteoblastic, and adipocytic. The goal of this study is to determine the extent of biomechanical change for a stem cell during differentiation. We hypothesize that a cell's biomechanical properties will change slowly during the differentiation process but will eventually diverge to become more characteristic of a specific cell type. To test this, we will determine the elastic and viscoelastic properties of single, ADAS cells during differentiation using atomic force microscopy. Mechanical properties that will be obtained include instantaneous, relaxed, and Young's moduli and apparent viscosity. Comparison with primary cell types will help determine whether ADAS cells successfully differentiate in terms of cellular biomechanics. These studies will significantly improve our understanding of the cellular-level changes that occur during the stem cell differentiation process.