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Abstract:
Mechanical forces applied to a living cell affect its development and morphology. The application of different physical forces to a cell provides valuable insights into its rheology, mechanotransduction, and mechanosensing. Here we report on the fabrication and use of polymeric actuators for the reversible deformation of cells. The temperature sensitive polymer poly (N-isopropylacrylamide) was applied in different ways to red blood cells as a model system, demonstrating a wealth of actuating possibilities. Such polymeric actuators may serve as powerful tools in studies of cell biology and biomechanics beause of their ease of preparation and the extensive range of chemical modifications that can be utilized.
