The interplay between physical inputs and chemical signaling regulates a significant number of biological processes that range from cell adhesion and migration to differentiation and immune response. These mechanical inputs are typically transmitted through membrane receptors that respond to the mechanical properties of their cognate ligands. A major challenge to elucidating the molecular mechanisms of mechanical signaling lies in the development of techniques to measure forces in the cell membrane. In this talk, we will report on the development of a fluorescent sensor to visualize the mechanical strain exerted by specific proteins in the membranes of living cells. The sensor allows one to quantify forces with high spatial and temporal resolution for a wide range of receptors and cell types using a conventional fluorescence microscopy. We demonstrate this approach by mapping membrane mechanical forces during endocytosis of the EGF ligand.

Visualizing membrane mechanics with a fluorescent sensor

243rd National Meeting (2012)

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