Contraction force measurements in cardiac myocytes using PDMS pillar arrays

This paper presents contraction force measurement in isolated myocytes using a replicated PDMS pillar array. The spring constant of the subjected pillar was determined based on SEM inspection. The non-sliding condition of myocyte/underlying pillar interface and the non-attaching condition of myocyte/base substrate interface were verified prior to the measurement, which revealed that the base substrate could be regarded as a rigid body. The contraction force was derived from the displacement of the pillars during a certain process of isoproterenol perfusion, which conforms to stimulus effect. This method has the physiology significance to reveal the consequences of various force abnormalities in cardiac myocytes, which are manifested in most heart failures.