Table 1.

Schematic representation of different methods to characterize cellular viscoelastic behavior.

Technique	Range of application	References
Micropipette aspiration	Local or global probing depending on diameter Time range 1–1000 s	[235,236]
SFM indentation	Low and high strains possible Local or averaged probing Frequency range 1–300 Hz Force range pN–nN Low and high strains possible	[220,237,238]
Active & passive optical-trap rheology	Probing of the overall force and fraction of that force transmitted to the environment	[239]
Passive bead rheology	Passive method Local properties	[240] [241,242]
Magnetic bead rheology	Local probing Frequency range 10−2–103 Hz Torques up to 130 Pa linear	[243,244]
Optical stretcher	Local or global probing Stresses (Pa) Forces 10−10 N Small strains	[225,233,245–247]