Effects of Substrate Rigidity on Cancer Cell Membrane Tether Strength Probed Using Single Cell Force Spectroscopy

Investigating the interplay between substrate rigidity and cell mechanics offers insights into cell migration and proliferation, which is critical for understanding cancer progression. This study utilizes single-cell force spectroscopy to examine cancer cells on substrates with varying rigidities. The tether-breaking force, extracted from force-distance curves, is a critical metric for measuring membrane tether characteristics. Our results indicate increased tether force in response to substrate rigidity, plateauing at an asymptotic limit. Interestingly, this trend remains consistent across three distinct cancer cell lines, with the most significant shifts observed in regions mimicking softer tissues, hinting at a universal cancer cell mechanical response to substrate rigidity.