ABSTRACT
Cells are highly complex living entities that contain a number of specialized organelles embedded within the cytoplasm. Cytoplasm and cellular organelles exhibit viscoelastic properties (i.e., they are adequately described neither as solid bodies nor as ¢uids). In addition, cytoplasm and the organelles form microdomains that differ in their mechanical properties. Investigating mechanics on a microscope scale seems strange in a biomedical world that considers genomics, proteomics, and the interactions of signal transduction chains as the main clues for understanding how a cell
12.1 Cellular Biomechanics .......................................................................................................... 689 12.2 Mechanical Characterization of Cytoplasm by Acoustic Microscopy .................................690 12.3 Alternative Methods to Determine Cell Mechanics ............................................................. 691 12.4 Parameters of Cells That Have to Be Determined ...............................................................692 12.5 SAM Methods to Determine Mechanical Properties of Cells .............................................694
