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Optical tweezers and cell biomechanics in macro- and nano-scale

The mechanical properties of cells, as well as their dysfunction, have been implicated in many aspects of human physiology and patho-physiology. Hence, new biophysical techniques, as optical tweezers, are of great importance for biomechanical measurements in both cells and cell simulators (e.g. liposomes). Liposomes are used, among other applications, as drug delivery nanosystems in cancer therapy. In this work, experimental measurements of the optical forces exerted by line optical tweezers on trapped cells (erythrocytes) and liposomes, using the dielectrophoresis method for calibration, are presented. Folding and elongation of trapped red blood cells was observed, in the direction of the electric field of incident beam, while, upon removal of the optical trap, the red blood cells were observed to unfold to their original biconcave shape. By measuring the folding and unfolding times, membrane elasticity properties such as bending modulus were estimated. Shear and bending modulus of liposomes were also estimated by measuring the liposome deformations, induced by optical forces along the beam long axis. The optical force is quasi-linearly increased with the increase of liposome diameter. In the elasticity regime, when the laser was turned off, the liposome acquired gradually its initial shape without any hysteresis.