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Abstract
The effect of various drugs affecting the integrity of different components of the
cytoskeleton on the elasticity of two fibroblast cell lines was investigated by elasticity
measurements with an atomic force microscope (AFM). Disaggregation of actin filaments
always resulted in a distinct decrease in the cell's average elastic modulus indicating
the crucial importance of the actin network for the mechanical stability of living
cells. Disruption or chemical stabilization of microtubules did not affect cell elasticity.
For the f-actin-disrupting drugs different mechanisms of drug action were observed.
Cytochalasins B and D and Latrunculin A disassembled stress fibers. For Cytochalasin
D this was accompanied by an aggregation of actin within the cytosol. Jasplakinolide
disaggregated actin filaments but did not disassemble stress fibers. Fibrous structures
found in AFM images and elasticity maps of fibroblasts could be identified as stress
fibers by correlation of AFM data and fluorescence images.