ABSTRACT
Several techniques have been developed for measuring the response of synthetic capsules or biological cells to external forces. Among these is the aspiration of a portion of the membrane into a micro-pipette, a device used mainly to study the mechanical properties of living cells [24] (see also Section 2.7 and Figure 2.7.1). The technique involves measuring the aspiration length in a micro-pipette under an applied pressure, using a costly and delicate micro-manipulation system. For artificial capsules whose sizes are much larger than those of cells, on the order of a millimeter, the alternative techniques discussed in this section offer alternatives.
