A Novel Cell Traction Force Microscopy to Study Multi-Cellular System
Figure 9
Traction maps of two neighboring human colon cancer cell (HCT-8) clusters.
Their interior traction domains are dynamic. (a) - (c): Phase-contrast image, traction and nodal force maps of two independent cancer cell clusters cultured on 2 kPa flexible hydrogel. Cells were on culture day 5. Each cluster generated high traction well within the periphery, leaving the periphery almost traction-free. (d) - (f): Phase-contrast image, traction stress and nodal force maps of the merged pre-MLP HCT-8 cancer cell cluster after 24 hours (6th culture day). Following merging, many more cells in both the clusters participated in generating traction, and the net force increased by about 20 folds, although the direction of the net force did not change. Scale bar: 40 µm. Dashed lines in orange outline the cluster boundaries.