Cell Traction Forces on Soft Biomaterials. I. Microrheology of Type I Collagen Gels

AbstractA laser-trap microrheometry technique was used to determine the local shear moduli of Type I collagen gels. Embedded 2.1μm polystyrene latex particles were displaced 10–100nm using a near-infrared laser trap with a trap constant of 0.0001 N/m. The trap was oscillated transversely ±200nm using a refractive glass plate mounted on a galvanometric scanner. The displacement of the microspheres was in phase with the movement of the laser trap at frequencies less than 1 rad/s, indicating that at least locally, the gels behaved as elastic media. The local shear modulus was measured at various positions throughout the gel, and, for gels at 2.3 mg/mL and 37°C, values ranged from G=3 to 80Pa. The average shear modulus G=55Pa, which compares well with measurements from parallel plate rheometry