Measurement of cell mechanical properties by cell compression microdevice

Abstract

This paper presents a measurement method for Young's modulus of cells using fabricated microdevice. This presented method is based on two processes. A first step is cell compressive experiment using fabricated microdevice. The second step is a theoretical calculation for comparing with the experimental results. Cell compression microdevice was designed for controlling the magnitude of pressure to cells. The device consists of microchannels, cell culture chambers, and a diaphragm on the culture chamber for applying pressure to cells. The cells are directly compressed from the diaphragm above the cell culture chamber. The cell strain amount to the applied pressure was measured in the cell compressive experiment. Based on the experimental results, the Young's modulus of cell was determined. The results obtained on Young's modulus measurement of cells are comparatively similar to previously measured values by other researchers.