Prediction of single cell mechanical properties in microchannels based on deep learning

Abstract

Traditional methods for measuring single-cell mechanical characteristics face several challenges, including lengthy measurement times, low throughput, and a requirement for advanced technical skills. To overcome these challenges, a novel machine learning (ML) approach is implemented based on the convolutional neural networks (CNNs), aiming at predicting cells’ elastic modulus and constitutive equations from their deformations while passing through micro-constriction channels. In the present study, the computational fluid dynamics technology is used to generate a dataset within the range of the cell elastic modulus, incorporating three widely-used constitutive models that characterize the cellular mechanical behavior, i.e., the Mooney-Rivlin (M-R), Neo-Hookean (N-H), and Kelvin-Voigt (K-V) models. Utilizing this dataset, a multi-input convolutional neural network (MI-CNN) algorithm is developed by incorporating cellular deformation data as well as the time and positional information. This approach accurately predicts the cell elastic modulus, with a coefficient of determination R2 of 0.999, a root mean square error of 0.218, and a mean absolute percentage error of 1.089%. The model consistently achieves high-precision predictions of the cellular elastic modulus with a maximum R2 of 0.99, even when the stochastic noise is added to the simulated data. One significant feature of the present model is that it has the ability to effectively classify the three types of constitutive equations we applied. The model accurately and reliably predicts single-cell mechanical properties, showcasing a robust ability to generalize. We demonstrate that incorporating deformation features at multiple time points can enhance the algorithm’s accuracy and generalization. This algorithm presents a possibility for high-throughput, highly automated, real-time, and precise characterization of single-cell mechanical properties.