Quantitative Measurement of Cell Adhesion Using Centrifugal Force

Abstract

Abstract In order to study the biophysical forces involved in cell‐substrate (or cell‐cell) adhesion, it is necessary to measure the strength of adhesion. Two questions can be addressed using the centrifugal cell adhesion assay provided in this unit: what is the ligand‐receptor affinity for cells adhering at 4 o C and what is the strength of the ATP‐dependent processes that strengthen adhesion at 37 o C. In both cases, the strength of adhesion is measured as the resistance to disruption in the presence of a measured centrifugal force.