Regensburg 2002 – scientific programme

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SYBM: Physik biologischer Materie

SYBM 401: Physics of biological matter: Poster

SYBM 401.4: Poster

Tuesday, March 12, 2002, 18:00–19:30, H37

Adhesion Strength of Living Cells: Kinetic Effects — •Rudolf Merkel¹, Katrin Prechtel², A. R. Bausch², V. Marchi-Artzner³, M. Kantlehner⁴, and H. Kessler⁴ — ¹Institut für Schichten und Grenzflächen, ISG 4, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, D-52425 Jülich — ²Lehrstuhl für Biophysik, E22, Technische Universität München, D-85748 Garching — ³Laboratoire de Chimie des Interactions Moleculaires UPR 285, College de France, F-75231 Paris — ⁴Lehrstuhl 2 für organische Chemie, Technische Universität München, D-85748 Garching

Cell adhesion is an important feature in many physiologically essential processes. Using micropipette aspiration technique we studied the mechanical strength of cell-membrane-adhesion considering kinetic effects. Our model system consisted of living human endothelium cells and model membranes, the latter being GUVs (Giant Unilamellar Vesicles). The GUVs contained a RGD lipopeptide constituting a high affinity binding site for integrin α_Vβ₃ which is present on the surface of endothelium cells. The cells were brought into contact with the vesicles and adhered specifically. We used micropipette aspiration for breaking this adhesion with well defined forces. Systematic variation of the rate of force application revealed pronounced kinetic effects. The dependence of the detachment forces on the loading rate was well described by a power law (exponent 0.4), in agreement with recent theoretical work.