DIFFERENCES IN F9-CELL AND 5.51-CELL ELASTICITY DETERMINED BY CELL POKING AND ATOMIC-FORCE MICROSCOPY

We studied the elasticity of both a wild type (F9) mouse embryonic car cinoma and a vinculin-deficient (5.51) cell line, which was produced b y chemical mutagenesis. Using cell poking, we measured the effects of loss of vinculin on the elastic properties of these cells, F9 cells we re about 20% more resistant to indentation by the cell poker (a glass stylus) than were 5.51 cells, Using the atomic force microscope to map the elasticity of wild type and vinculin-deficient cells by 128 x 128 force scans, we observed a correlation of elasticity with cell poking elastometric measurements. These findings, as well as previous atomic force, theologic, and magnetometric measurements [Goldmann and Ezzell , Exp, Cell Res. 226 (1996) 234-237; Ezzell et al., Exp. Cell Res, 231 (1997) 14-26], indicate that vinculin is an integral part of the cyto skeletal network. (C) 1998 Federation of European Biochemical Societie s.