The mechanics of myeloid cells. (20th January 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Bashant, Kathleen R; Toepfner, Nicole; Day, Christopher J; Mehta, Nehal N; Kaplan, Mariana J; Summers, Charlotte; Guck, Jochen; Chilvers, Edwin R
• Is Part Of: Biology of the cell. Volume 112:Number 4(2020)
• Page Start: 103
• Page End: 112
• Publication Date: 2020-01-20
• Subjects: cell motility/contraction -- cell migration/adhesion -- heart/lung/blood vessels -- metastasis -- disease; Cytology -- Periodicals; Electron microscopy -- Periodicals; 571.6
• DOI: 10.1111/boc.201900084
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0248-4900

Abstract

Abstract: The effects of cell size, shape and deformability on cellular function have long been a topic of interest. Recently, mechanical phenotyping technologies capable of analysing large numbers of cells in real time have become available. This has important implications for biology and medicine, especially haemato‐oncology and immunology, as immune cell mechanical phenotyping, immunologic function, and malignant cell transformation are closely linked and potentially exploitable to develop new diagnostics and therapeutics. In this review, we introduce the technologies used to analyse cellular mechanical properties and review emerging findings following the advent of high throughput deformability cytometry. We largely focus on cells from the myeloid lineage, which are derived from the bone marrow and include macrophages, granulocytes and erythrocytes. We highlight advances in mechanical phenotyping of cells in suspension that are revealing novel signatures of human blood diseases and providing new insights into pathogenesis of these diseases. The contributions of mechanical phenotyping of cells in suspension to our understanding of drug mechanisms, identification of novel therapeutics and monitoring of treatment efficacy particularly in instances of haematologic diseases are reviewed, and we suggest emerging topics of study to explore as high throughput deformability cytometers become prevalent in laboratories across the globe. Abstract : Review : Recently, mechanical phenotyping technologies capable of analysing the biophysical properties of large numbers of cells in real time have become available. This review introduces mechanical phenotyping techniques and documents the recent discoveries in myeloid cell immunology, human medicine, and drug development afforded by high throughput mechanical phenotyping.