ABSTRACT
Viruses are amongst the smallest infectious agents, and they are the most abundant biological entity. Most of the viruses that infect plants and animals have the form of an icosahedron, but not all. Some viruses have a fairly simple geometrical shape, which renders relatively easy a theoretical calculation of their mechanical properties. Finite-element modelling was used in the studies to analyze the force-distance (FD) curves that were recorded for the investigated viruses. Difficulties in interpreting FD curves are also encountered with living cells, which have highly anisotropic and inhomogeneous structures. The cytoskeleton is an essential part of all eukaryotic cells. Numerous atomic force microscopy studies have provided evidence that changes in the mechanical properties of cells are correlated with their age, the stage of the cell cycle and the degree of differentiation. The cytoskeleton is an essential part of all eukaryotic cells. It is involved in several basic cellular functions, such as division, vesicular transport and displacement.
