Tiny biomolecular tweezers studying force effect of cells
Thursday, April 3, 2014 - 11:13
in Physics & Chemistry
A new type of biomolecular tweezers could help researchers study how mechanical forces affect the biochemical activity of cells and proteins. The devices -- too small to see without a microscope -- use opposing magnetic and electrophoretic forces to precisely stretch the cells and molecules, holding them in position so that the activity of receptors and other biochemical activity can be studied.