Authors:
Yang Liu, Rebecca Medda, Zheng Liu, Kornelia Galior, Kevin Yehl, Joachim P. Spatz, Elisabetta Ada Cavalcanti-Adam, and Khalid Salaita
Summary:
Herein we aimed to understand how nanoscale clustering of RGD ligands alters the mechano-regulation of their integrin receptors. We combined molecular tension fluorescence microscopy with block copolymer micelle nanolithography to fabricate substrates with arrays of precisely spaced probes that can generate a 10-fold fluorescence response to pN-forces. We found that the mechanism of sensing ligand spacing is force-mediated. This strategy is broadly applicable to investigating receptor clustering and its role in mechanotransduction pathways.
Source:
NANO Letters; 14(10), 5539-5546 (09/19/14)