The adhesion of cells to the extracellular matrix is a hierarchical, force-dependent,
multistage process that evolves at several temporal scales. An understanding of this
complex process requires a precise measurement of forces and its correlation with protein
responses in living cells. We present a method to quantitatively assess live cell responses to
a local and specific mechanical stimulus. Our approach combines atomic force microscopy
with fluorescence imaging. Using this approach, we evaluated the recruitment of adhesion …