Elastic microspheres expand understanding of embryonic development and cancer cells

(University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign) A new technique that uses tiny elastic balls filled with fluorescent nanoparticles aims to expand the understanding of the mechanical forces that exist between cells, researchers report. A University of Illinois-led team has demonstrated the quantification of 3D forces within cells living in petri dishes as well as live specimens. This research may unlock some of the mysteries related to embryonic development and cancer stem cells, i.e., tumor-repopulating cells.
Source: EurekAlert! - Cancer - Category: Cancer & Oncology Source Type: news