Cellular structure and transport

Blog posts

Dynamic single-molecule experiments expose catch bonds as key to cell strength and flexibility

In a recent Nature Materials publication, scientists show for the first time how certain types of molecular bonds known as “catch bonds” make it possible for cells to combine both mechanical strength to withstand forces and adaptability to change shape and move. By performing dynamic single-molecule experiments with LUMICKS’ C-Trap®,…

Chenlu Yu13 October 2022

Blog posts

Three C-Trap^® systems installed in the US East Coast

We are excited to share that three more institutes on the US East Coast are now equipped with a C-Trap® Optical Tweezers – Fluorescence Microscope! The three new instruments are now housed at a new core facility at MSKCC, at the NanoSystems Laboratory at the OSU, and at the UPMC-Hillman Cancer…

j.yeh17 May 2021

Blog posts

Researchers identify KIF1A properties associated with neuron transport with the C-Trap^®

A recent article in Journal of Cell Biology (JCB) describes how researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine measured the force-generating properties of KIF1A, a kinesin-3 motor known to transport synaptic vesicle precursors in neurons. Using the C-Trap® optical tweezers and motility assays, the researchers identified the mechanical properties of…

j.yeh25 February 2021

Blog posts

The softening effect of vimentin filament phosphorylation measured with the C-Trap^®

A recent study published in the journal Nanoscale shows how post-translational phosphorylation and proteins binding phosphorylated sites regulate the stiffness of vimentin filaments. The researchers combined several analytical approaches and instruments, including the C-Trap® optical tweezers, to define the role of these modifications and interactions on the mechanical properties of vimentin. Apart from contributing…

j.yeh16 February 2021

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