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Peer-reviewedCC BYNature Methods

CFM: confinement force microscopy—a dynamic, precise and stable microconfiner for traction force microscopy in spatial confinement

  • Fatemeh Abbasi1,2,3
  • Katharina Rieck4
  • Matthias Brandt4
  • Maja Matis5,4,6
  • Eva Kiermaier7,8,9
  • Timo Betz10,11
11 affiliations
  1. 1Institute of Cell Biology, ZMBE, Medical Faculty, University of Münster, Münster, Germany. [email protected]
  2. 2Life and Medical Sciences (LIMES) Institute, Immune and Tumor Biology, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany. [email protected]
  3. 3Third Institute of Physics-Biophysics, Georg August University Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany. [email protected]
  4. 4Institute of Cell Biology, ZMBE, Medical Faculty, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
  5. 5"Cells in Motion" Interfaculty Centre, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
  6. 6Institute of Medical Physics and Biophysics, Medical Faculty, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
  7. 7Department of Medicine 1/CITABLE, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Erlangen, Germany
  8. 8Deutsches Zentrum Immuntherapie (DZI), Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
  9. 9Life and Medical Sciences (LIMES) Institute, Immune and Tumor Biology, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
  10. 10Institute of Cell Biology, ZMBE, Medical Faculty, University of Münster, Münster, Germany. [email protected]
  11. 11Third Institute of Physics-Biophysics, Georg August University Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany. [email protected]
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Abstract

Cells migrating through tissues experience changing physical confinement, yet methods to dynamically control confinement while quantifying the resulting forces remain limited. Here we present a microconfiner platform for live-cell imaging that enables programmable confinement, allowing real-time control over the level, timing and frequency of confinement while measuring traction forces exerted on the microenvironment, a method we term confinement force microscopy (CFM). Using CFM, we find that cells respond to confinement in two phases: a rapid passive stress rise caused by compression of the cell body and nucleus against the substrate, followed by an active stress increase associated with enhanced contractility, intracellular pressure buildup and bleb formation. Bleb expansion can partially relieve pressure and reduce stress on the surroundings. ROCK and myosin II inhibition both reduce stress generation, but with distinct effects on blebbing. Overall, CFM provides a versatile approach to study dynamic mechanical adaptation in tissue-like environments.

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Cite

BibTeXRIS
BibTeX
@article{abbasi2026confinement,
  title = {{CFM: confinement force microscopy—a dynamic, precise and stable microconfiner for traction force microscopy in spatial confinement}},
  author = {Fatemeh Abbasi and Katharina Rieck and Matthias Brandt and Maja Matis and Eva Kiermaier and Timo Betz},
  journal = {Nature Methods},
  year = {2026},
  month = sep,
  doi = {10.1038/s41592-026-03216-5},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.1038/s41592-026-03216-5},
  note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY  - JOUR
TI  - CFM: confinement force microscopy—a dynamic, precise and stable microconfiner for traction force microscopy in spatial confinement
AU  - Fatemeh Abbasi
AU  - Katharina Rieck
AU  - Matthias Brandt
AU  - Maja Matis
AU  - Eva Kiermaier
AU  - Timo Betz
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/09/14
JO  - Nature Methods
DO  - 10.1038/s41592-026-03216-5
UR  - https://doi.org/10.1038/s41592-026-03216-5
AB  - Cells migrating through tissues experience changing physical confinement, yet methods to dynamically control confinement while quantifying the resulting forces remain limited. Here we present a microconfiner platform for live-cell imaging that enables programmable confinement, allowing real-time control over the level, timing and frequency of confinement while measuring traction forces exerted on the microenvironment, a method we term confinement force microscopy (CFM). Using CFM, we find that cells respond to confinement in two phases: a rapid passive stress rise caused by compression of the cell body and nucleus against the substrate, followed by an active stress increase associated with enhanced contractility, intracellular pressure buildup and bleb formation. Bleb expansion can partially relieve pressure and reduce stress on the surroundings. ROCK and myosin II inhibition both reduce stress generation, but with distinct effects on blebbing. Overall, CFM provides a versatile approach to study dynamic mechanical adaptation in tissue-like environments.
SN  - 1548-7091
SN  - 1548-7105
ER  -