A Novel Cell Traction Force Microscopy to Study Multi-Cellular System
Figure 4
Validation of the accuracy and uniqueness of the finite element solution to extract 3D traction force fields.
(a) A computational model with two regions representing 2 separated cells, each 20 µm in diameter and separated by half-cell distance 10 µm, was established. A self-equilibrated force field was applied within each region. The magnitude and directions of forces were indicated by arrows. (b) The resultant full displacement field was obtained by ANSYS. (c) The displacement fields underneath each cell were chosen and assigned to the same model. The boundary conditions of nodes outside the regions were set traction-free. (d) A new force field was obtained using the above mixed-boundary condition. The magnitude and directions of nodal forces were shown by arrows. (e-f) The node-by-node difference between initially applied forces and retrieved forces (in x and z direction, respectively) are shown. The difference is <10−2 nN (within 1%).