OptoRheo: Simultaneous in situ micro-mechanical sensing and imaging of live 3D biological systems

Mendonca, Tania; Lis-Slimak, Katarzyna; Matheson, Andrew B.; Smith, Matthew G.; Anane-Adjei, Akosua B.; Ashworth, Jennifer C.; Cavanagh, Robert; Paterson, Lynn; Dalgarno, Paul A.; Alexander, Cameron; Tassieri, Manlio; Merry, Catherine L. R.; Wright, Amanda J.

Abstract

Biomechanical cues from the extracellular matrix (ECM) are essential for directing many cellular processes, from normal development and repair, to disease progression. To better understand cell-matrix interactions, we have developed a new instrument named ‘OptoRheo’ that combines light sheet fluorescence microscopy with particle tracking microrheology. OptoRheo lets us image cells in 3D as they proliferate over several days while simultaneously sensing the mechanical properties of the surrounding extracellular and pericellular matrix at a sub-cellular length scale. OptoRheo can be used in two operational modalities (with and without an optical trap) to extend the dynamic range of microrheology measurements. We corroborated this by characterising the ECM surrounding live breast cancer cells in two distinct culture systems, cell clusters in 3D hydrogels and spheroids in suspension culture. This cutting-edge instrument will transform the exploration of drug transport through complex cell culture matrices and optimise the design of the next-generation of disease models.

Citation

Mendonca, T., Lis-Slimak, K., Matheson, A. B., Smith, M. G., Anane-Adjei, A. B., Ashworth, J. C., …Wright, A. J. (2023). OptoRheo: Simultaneous in situ micro-mechanical sensing and imaging of live 3D biological systems. Communications Biology, 6, Article 463. https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-023-04780-8

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Mar 30, 2023
• Online Publication Date: Apr 28, 2023
• Publication Date: Apr 28, 2023
• Deposit Date: May 3, 2023
• Publicly Available Date: May 9, 2023
• Journal: Communications Biology
• Electronic ISSN: 2399-3642
• Publisher: Nature Publishing Group
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 6
• Article Number: 463
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-023-04780-8
• Keywords: General Agricultural and Biological Sciences; General Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology; Medicine (miscellaneous)
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/20273419
• Publisher URL: https://www.nature.com/articles/s42003-023-04780-8
• Additional Information: Open Access This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, which permits use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license, and indicate if changes were made. The images or other third party material in this article are included in the article’s Creative Commons license, unless indicated otherwise in a credit line to the material. If material is not included in the article’s Creative Commons license and your intended use is not permitted by statutory regulation or exceeds the permitted use, you will need to obtain permission directly from the copyright holder. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/.