Design of Opto-mechanical Micro Transcucer for Cell Culture and in Plane Force Measurement

ABSTRACT This paper presented a high sensitivit√ opto-mechanical transducer for real time cell culture and contractile force mapping on a chip. The contractile forces developed from cells to their extracellular matrix is crucial to understanding how cells regulate their ph√siological function to adapt to their living environment and cellular processes. The structure consists of micro fabricated pol√mer sensor arra√s that served as diffraction moiré grating lines and grids for supporting and culturing cells. Through carrier fringe anal√sis, the phase changes on moiré patterns with cell culture can provide real-time mapping of cell traction forces evolution without measuring the distortions on the substrates.