Micro-indentation and optical coherence tomography for the mechanical characterization of embryos: Experimental setup and measurements on chicken embryos

Acta Biomaterialia
Marica MarreseDavide Iannuzzi

Abstract

The investigation of the mechanical properties of embryos is expected to provide valuable information on the phenomenology of morphogenesis. It is thus believed that, by mapping the viscoelastic features of an embryo at different stages of growth, it may be possible to shed light on the role of mechanics in embryonic development. To contribute to this field, we present a new instrument that can determine spatiotemporal distributions of mechanical properties of embryos over a wide area and with unprecedented accuracy. The method relies on combining ferrule-top micro-indentation, which provides local measurements of viscoelasticity, with Optical Coherence Tomography, which can reveal changes in tissue morphology and help the user identify the indentation point. To prove the working principle, we have collected viscoelasticity maps of fixed and live HH11-HH12 chicken embryos. Our study shows that the instrument can reveal correlations between tissue morphology and mechanical behavior. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: Local mechanical properties of soft biological tissue play a crucial role in several biological processes, including cell differentiation, cell migration, and body formation; therefore, measuring tissue properties at high r...Continue Reading

Citations

Jan 8, 2021·FASEB Journal : Official Publication of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology·Marica MarreseTheodoor H Smit
May 9, 2021·Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications·Rajiv S RaktoeAbdoelwaheb El Ghalbzouri

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