Using optical tweezers to study mechanical properties of collagen

Naghmeh Rezaei; Benjamin P. B. Downing; Andrew Wieczorek; Clara K. Y. Chan; Robert Lindsay Welch; Nancy R. Forde

doi:10.1117/12.905714

31 August 2011 Using optical tweezers to study mechanical properties of collagen

Naghmeh Rezaei, Benjamin P. B. Downing, Andrew Wieczorek, Clara K. Y. Chan, Robert Lindsay Welch, Nancy R. Forde

Proceedings Volume 8007, Photonics North 2011; 80070K (2011) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.905714
Event: Photonics North 2011, 2011, Ottawa, Canada

Abstract

The mechanical response of biological molecules at the microscopic level contributes significantly to their function. Optical tweezers are instruments that enable scientists to study mechanical properties at microscopic levels. They are based on a highly focused laser beam that creates a trap for microscopic objects such as dielectric spheres, viruses, bacteria, living cells and organelles, and then manipulates them by applying forces in the picoNewton range (a range that is biologically relevant). In this work, mechanical properties of single collagen molecules are studied using optical tweezers. We discuss the challenges of stretching single collagen proteins, whose length is much less than the size of the microspheres used as manipulation handles, and show how instrumental design and biochemistry can be used to overcome these challenges.

Citation Download Citation

Naghmeh Rezaei, Benjamin P. B. Downing, Andrew Wieczorek, Clara K. Y. Chan, Robert Lindsay Welch, and Nancy R. Forde "Using optical tweezers to study mechanical properties of collagen", Proc. SPIE 8007, Photonics North 2011, 80070K (31 August 2011); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.905714

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