Device and method for force phenotyping of cells for high-throughput screening and analysis

US10082497B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• The Regents of the University of California · US

Inventors

• Dino Di Carlo · Los Angeles, US
• Peter K. Tseng · San Jose, US
• Ivan Pushkarsky · San Diego, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Mar 27, 2015
• Grant date: Sep 25, 2018
• Expiry date: Mar 27, 2035

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G01N2021/6441
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A system for assaying forces applied by cells includes an optically transparent substrate comprising a soft material having a Young's modulus within the range of about 3 kPa to about 100 kPa. An array of molecular patterns is disposed on a surface of the optically transparent substrate, the molecular patterns include fluorophore-conjugated patterns adherent to cells. The system includes at least one light source configured to excite the fluorophore-conjugated patterns and an imaging device configured to capture fluorescent light emitted from the fluorophore-conjugated patterns. Dimensional changes in the size of the patterns are used to determine contractile forces imparted by cells located on the patterns.