Cytomechanical and topological investigation of MCF-7 cells by scanning force microscopy

Despite enormous advances in breast cancer biology, there is an increased demand for new technologies/methods that are able to provide supplementary information to genomics and proteomics. Here, we exploit scanning force microscopy (SFM) in combination with confocal microscopy, to investigate the morphological and mechanical properties of two neoplastic cell lines: (i) MCF-7 (human breast cancer) and (ii) HeLa (human cervical carcinoma). Living and fixed cells either in phosphate buffer solution (PBS) or in air have been studied, and the viscoelastic properties (including the Young's modulus) of cells grown onto standard and modified (e. g. by fibronectin, one of the cellular matrix components) substrates have been measured. We observed different Young's modulus values, influenced by the adhesion and growth behaviour onto specific substrate surfaces.