Issue 12, 2024

Critical review of single-cell mechanotyping approaches for biomedical applications

Abstract

Accurate mechanical measurements of cells has the potential to improve diagnostics, therapeutics and advance understanding of disease mechanisms, where high-resolution mechanical information can be measured by deforming individual cells. Here we evaluate recently developed techniques for measuring cell-scale stiffness properties; while many such techniques have been developed, much of the work examining single-cell stiffness is impacted by difficulties in standardization and comparability, giving rise to large variations in reported mechanical moduli. We highlight the role of underlying mechanical theories driving this variability, and note opportunities to develop novel mechanotyping devices and theoretical models that facilitate convenient and accurate mechanical characterisation. Moreover, many high-throughput approaches are confounded by factors including cell size, surface friction, natural population heterogeneity and convolution of elastic and viscous contributions to cell deformability. We nevertheless identify key approaches based on deformability cytometry as a promising direction for further development, where both high-throughput and accurate single-cell resolutions can be realized.

Graphical abstract: Critical review of single-cell mechanotyping approaches for biomedical applications

Article information

Article type
Critical Review
Submitted
13 nov. 2023
Accepted
13 mai 2024
First published
28 mai 2024

Lab Chip, 2024,24, 3036-3063

Critical review of single-cell mechanotyping approaches for biomedical applications

M. Chapman, V. Rajagopal, A. Stewart and D. J. Collins, Lab Chip, 2024, 24, 3036 DOI: 10.1039/D3LC00978E

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