Mechanical characterization of elastic membranes:: Cell mechanics applications

Wrinkled patterns produced by cells crawling onto elastic membranes provide a useful tool to test living cells' locomotion. The technique, however, requires a characterization of the intrinsic properties and tension of the membrane as well as an accurate determination of the deformation induced by the cell. Here, the authors present a capillary-type technique to estimate the elastic modulus of such membranes, describe an indentation technique to measure the initial tension, and develop a simple interferometric method to measure the amplitude field of the wrinkled pattern produced, for instance, by the action of living cell. (c) 2007 American Institute of Physics.