Quantifying cell elasticity of leukemia and breast cancer cells via dielectrophoretic stretching

Mechanical properties of cells serve as potential biomarkers for cancer characterization, with different cancer types exhibiting distinct mechanical signatures based on their cytoskeletal organization and membrane properties. This study reports the design and fabrication of a dielectrophoresis (DEP)-based stretching platform for quantitative mechanical phenotyping of cancer cells. The device utilizes transparent indium tin oxide (ITO) electrodes configured as castellated arrays to produce non-uniform electric fields, allowing precise cellular deformation without the need for physical contact or chemical labels. Computational simulations were performed to estimate DEP forces exerted on the cells using the equivalent dipole moment method, revealing quadratic voltage-dependent forces across the experimental range, with maximum forces concentrated at electrode edges. Optimized stretching experiments were conducted on Jurkat (human T-cell leukemia) and SKBR-3 (human breast adenocarcinoma) cells with systematic voltage ramping up to 13 Vp-p. Results demonstrated substantial differences in mechanical response, with Jurkat cells achieving 82.8% elongation compared to only 8.5% for SKBR-3 cells at maximum voltage, which is nearly a 10-fold difference despite SKBR-3 cells being larger in diameter. This integrated experimental-computational approach enabled stress-strain analysis that revealed young’s modulus values of 237.8 ± 7.2 Pa for Jurkat cells and 1537.1 ± 57.4 Pa for SKBR-3 cells, representing a 6.5-fold stiffness difference that quantitatively validates their distinct biomechanical phenotypes. These measurements provide the first reported DEP-derived elastic moduli for both cell types. Additionally, analysis of cell repositioning during stretching revealed voltage-dependent displacement with cell-type-specific responses, suggesting potential correlations with cellular dielectric properties and mechanical characteristics. These results establish a proof-of-concept for differentiating cancer cell types based on their mechanical signatures through quantitative DEP stretching. Combined with the non-invasive, label-free nature of this approach and the measurement accuracy enabled by transparent electrodes, the platform shows potential for future development as a diagnostic tool for assessing metastatic potential, evaluating therapeutic efficacy, and characterizing circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in suspension.