Elasticity of normal and cancerous human bladder cells studied by scanningforce microscopy

Scanning force microscopy was used for the determination of the elastic pro perties of living cells in their culture conditions. The studies were carri ed out an human epithelial cells. Two similar lines of normal cells (Hu609 and HCV29) and three cancerous ones (Hu456, T24, BC3726) were measured usin g the scanning force microscope in order to collect the force versus indent ation curves. The BC3726 line originates from the HCV29 cell line which was transformed by the v-ras oncogene. To evaluate their elastic properties, Y oung's modulus values were determined. The present study has shown that nor mal cells have a Young's modulus of about one order of magnitude higher tha n cancerous ones. Such a change might be attributed to a difference in the organisation of cell cytoskeletons and requires further studies.