Monolayer Stress Microscopy

A system comprising:

• a microscope to acquire data needed to determine traction forces exerted by a cellular monolayer on a substrate;
• at least one processor-based device;
• and
• at least one non-transitory storage device to store computer instructions that when executed on the at least one processor-based device cause the at least one processor-based device to:
• determine based on the acquired data the traction forces exerted by the cellular monolayer on the substrate on which the monolayer is placed;
• and
• determine internal forces within and between the cells of the monolayer based on the determined traction forces.

A diagnostic method comprising:

• placing a cellular monolayer sample on a substrate;
• determining traction forces exerted by the cellular monolayer sample on the substrate;
• determining internal forces within and between cells of the cellular monolayer based on the determined traction forces;
• and
• performing, based at least in part on the determined internal forces, a diagnostic procedure for the cellular monolayer sample to identify at least one condition in relation to the cellular monolayer sample, the at least one condition including one or more of:
• a cancerous condition, a vascular injury, a bladder dysfunction, and dysfunction of any barrier system in any monolayer.

A method for drug screening, the method comprising:

• placing on a substrate a cellular monolayer sample;
• determining traction forces exerted on the substrate by the cellular monolayer sample;
• determining internal forces within and between cells of the cellular monolayer sample based on the determined traction forces;
• performing a comparison of data representative of the determined internal forces within and between the cells of the cellular monolayer sample to data representative of determined internal forces within and between cells of a cellular monolayer specimen known to include a specified therapeutic substance;
• and
• determining whether the specified therapeutic substance is present in the cellular monolayer sample based on the comparison of data representative of the determined internal forces within and between the cells of the cellular monolayer sample to data representative of determined internal forces within and between the cells of the cellular monolayer specimen known to include the specified therapeutic substance.

A method for identifying an inhibitor of metastasis, the method comprising:

• providing on a substrate a cellular monolayer sample;
• determining traction forces exerted on the substrate by the cellular monolayer sample in the presence of a candidate compound;
• determining internal forces within and between cells of the cellular monolayer sample based on the determined traction forces;
• and
• comparing a first measure of determined internal forces within and between the cells of the cellular monolayer sample in the presence of said candidate compound to a second measure of determined internal forces within and between cells of a cellular monolayer specimen in the absence of said candidate compound, wherein an alteration in the level of internal forces in the presence of said candidate compound compared to the absence of said candidate compound indicates that said compound inhibits metastasis.