Berlin 2001 – scientific programme

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CPP: Chemische Physik und Polymerphysik

CPP 1: Special Symposium: Molecular Dynamics in Confined Geometries

CPP 1.2: Invited Talk

Monday, April 2, 2001, 11:15–12:00, 3010

Physics in Cell Biology: Biopolymers and Molecular Motors — •Erwin Frey — Lyman Laboratory of Physics, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA

All living organisms are made of cells, highly organized adaptive biological systems with a remarkable combination of mechanical and dynamic properties. Cells are able to sustain huge external stresses, but can also quickly reorganize their internal structure. The structure responsible for these material properties is the cytoskeleton, a intracellular network of protein filaments of different length and stiffness and a No-dqzooNo-dq of associated regulation proteins. In addition to its mechanical properties the filaments of the cytoskeleton also provides a interconnected systems of molecular tracks for motor proteins. This allows the cell to perform intracellular transport, generate micro-muscles and support many of the cellular processes essential for cell division. In this talk we will show with some typical examples from cell biology how physics can make important contributions to biologically relevant questions and how biological systems provide a rich and interesting field for studying fundamental questions in physics.