Analytical Sciences

Finite Element Analysis on Nanomechanical Sensing of Cellular Forces

Gaku IMAMURA,*,** Kota SHIBA,* and Genki YOSHIKAWA*,***

*World Premier International Research Center Initiative (WPI), International Center for Materials Nanoarchitectonics (MANA), National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS), Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0044, Japan
**International Center for Young Scientists (ICYS), National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS), Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0044, Japan
***Materials Science and Engineering, Graduate School of Pure and Applied Science, University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1 Tennodai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8571, Japan

Detection of cellular forces plays an important role in investigating the mechanical basis of cells. As nanomechanical sensors can directly detect surface stress, they can be utilized to detect cellular forces. In the present study, we perform quantitative simulations of nanomechanical sensors for the detection of cellular forces using finite element analyses (FEA). We focus on two types of nanomechanical sensors: a cantilever-type sensor and a membrane-type surface stress sensor (MSS). It is found that sensing signals can be obtained when cells on the nanomechanical sensors synchronize their motions. To effectively detect cellular forces on the nanomechanical sensors, we discuss the optimization scheme for a coating layer on the surface of the sensors.

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