Cells in vivo exist in a 3D porous network of proteins that lend structural support while permitting cellular attachment and migration. Characterization of pore size and microstructural network dynamics is imperative to the biophysical study of cell-ECM interactions and for tissue-engineering applications. We implemented Laser Speckle Microrheology at sub-MHz frequencies to measure mean square displacement (MSD) and its log-log derivative (α) of particles embedded in purified fibrin clots. The power law behavior of the time-dependent MSD provides a measure of pore sizes spanning different particle-to-pore size ratios, relevant for advancing our understanding of cell-ECM interactions.
Biological tissues exhibit distinct viscoelastic behavior across multiple frequency scales. Biophysical interactions between cells and extracellular matrix across this spectrum play an important role in governing many pathophysiological processes. We implemented Laser Speckle Microrheology (LSM) to map and measure frequency-dependent viscous and elastic moduli in tumor specimens and ECM constructs up to the sub-MHz regime. We identified distinct frequency-dependent responses in both elasticity and viscosity across multiple regimes, lending a unique source of micromechanical contrast in tissues. Thus, micromechanical spectroscopy with LSM may provide invaluable biomechanical insights that are inaccessible when solely characterizing elasticity over a limited frequency scale.
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