Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41315772›Full record

ReviewNature protocols2026

Measuring cellular force using DNA-based tension probes: from ensemble to single-molecule studies.

Piyu Wu, Yuru Hu, Hongyun Li, Wei Chen, Zheng Liu

Abstract readReview
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In one paragraph

Review in Nature protocols, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Piyu Wu *State Key Laboratory of Metabolism and Regulation in Complex Organisms, TaiKang Center for Life and Medical Sciences, College of Life Sciences, the Institute for Advanced Studies, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China.
Yuru Hu *State Key Laboratory of Metabolism and Regulation in Complex Organisms, TaiKang Center for Life and Medical Sciences, College of Life Sciences, the Institute for Advanced Studies, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China.
Hongyun LiState Key Laboratory of Metabolism and Regulation in Complex Organisms, TaiKang Center for Life and Medical Sciences, College of Life Sciences, the Institute for Advanced Studies, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China.
Wei ChenState Key Laboratory of Metabolism and Regulation in Complex Organisms, TaiKang Center for Life and Medical Sciences, College of Life Sciences, the Institute for Advanced Studies, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China.
Zheng LiuState Key Laboratory of Metabolism and Regulation in Complex Organisms, TaiKang Center for Life and Medical Sciences, College of Life Sciences, the Institute for Advanced Studies, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China. zheng.liu@whu.edu.cn.ORCID 0000-0002-4252-4617

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Understanding how cells sense and respond to mechanical forces is crucial for many biological processes, including adhesion, migration, differentiation and immune activation. In this protocol, we describe two advanced DNA-based tension probes, the reversible shearing DNA-based tension probe (RSDTP) and ForceChrono probe, which provide powerful tools for studying mechanotransduction in living cells. RSDTPs enable dynamic quantification of forces ranging from 4 to 60 pN, offering the advantage of reversibility without ligand depletion, making them ideal for ensemble force measurements across populations of cells. ForceChrono probes not only measure the magnitude of force but also capture its duration and loading rate, providing essential insights into the temporal dynamics of single-molecule force transmission. We detail the fundamental principles, design strategies and step-by-step procedures for synthesizing, purifying and applying these probes, including surface preparation, cell experiments, image acquisition and data analysis. In addition, we describe the computational tools for image analysis. Together, these probes enable a detailed analysis of cellular mechanobiology, with applications in integrin mechanobiology and cell adhesion biology. This protocol is suitable for researchers with a background in cell biology, molecular biology, surface chemistry, optical imaging and data analysis and can be completed by a graduate student in 3-4 days.

Indexed as

DNADNA ProbesMechanotransduction, CellularSingle Molecule ImagingBiomechanical PhenomenaCell AdhesionHumansImage Processing, Computer-AssistedDNADNA Probes

Identifiers

PMID41315772

What Socratic holds

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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.