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Method and system for measurement of mechanical properties of molecules and cells

  • US 5,486,457 A
  • Filed: 08/25/1993
  • Issued: 01/23/1996
  • Est. Priority Date: 08/25/1993
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. A system for determining the effect of mechanical stimulation of molecules which are present on the surface of cells comprising:

  • ferromagnetic microbeads having attachment molecules coated thereon which bind to the molecules present on the surface of cells, the microbeads having a diameter between 0.03 and 500 microns, and wherein the attachment molecules are selected from the group consisting of matrix molecules that bind to integrins and molecules that bind to other receptors on the cell surface and physically interconnect with distinct cytoskeletal proteins, wherein the integrins or receptors are the molecules present on the surface of the cells to be tested;

    an apparatus for imposing on the microbeads a strong external magnetic field resulting in magnetization and alignment of the magnetic moments of the microbeads and for imposing on the microbeads defined mechanical stresses between zero and 300 dyne/cm2 using a weaker "twisting" magnetic field applied perpendicular to the original field; and

    a magnetometer to measure the component of the remanent magnetic field vector in the direction of the original magnetization as a function of time.

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