Figure 1

From (a) to (d): sequence of images (DIC contrast; scale bar =10 μm) of a K562 cell showing the increase of the cell-protrusion length inside the micropipette after a pressure step of 30 Pa is applied by the micropipette aspiration set-up. The time associated to each image is reported. The dashed black lines have been introduced to mark the position of the cell protrusion in the different snapshots; (e) plot showing the cell protrusion variation with time for several cells. The protrusion length variation is normalized to the micropipette radius. The red line represents the averaged behavior. Inset: time variation of the measured pressure difference in the micropipette aspiration set-up. (f) plot of the average curve reported in e; (g) Log-Log representation of the average behavior for the control cells (the same as in f) to highlight the power-law fit to the data (continuous red line).