Single-cell immuno-mechanics: rapid viscoelastic changes are a hall-mark of early leukocyte activation

To accomplish their critical task of removing infected cells and fighting pathogens, leukocytes activate by forming specialized interfaces with other cells. Using an innovative micropipette rheometer, we show in three different cell types that when stimulated by microbeads mimicking target cells, leukocytes become up to ten times stiffer and more viscous. These mechanical changes initiate within seconds after contact and evolve rapidly over minutes. Remarkably, leukocyte elastic and viscous properties evolve in parallel, preserving a well-defined ratio that constitutes a mechanical signature specific to each cell type. The current results indicate that simultaneously tracking both elastic and viscous properties during an active cell process provides a new way to investigate cell mechanical processes. Our findings also suggest that dynamic immuno-mechanical measurements provide an identifier of leukocyte type and an indicator of the cell’s state of activation.