Regensburg 2004 – scientific programme

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AKB: Biologische Physik

AKB 50: Poster Session "Biological Physics"

AKB 50.7: Poster

Friday, March 12, 2004, 10:30–13:00, B

Mechanics and Force Generation of a Single Cell in Presence of Cytoskeleton Structure Modifying Bioactive Lipids. — •alexandre Micoulet¹, Joachim P. Spatz¹, and Thomas Seufferlein² — ¹Biophysical Chemistry, University of Heidelberg, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany — ²Department of Internal Medecin I, University of Ulm, 89081 Ulm, Germany

In tissues, constantly regulated processes, such as biochemical and mechanical interactions between a cell and its environment play a major role in differentiation and gene expression of cells. In contrast, cancer cells are able to escape to these regulations and migrate through tissues since their mechanical and adhesion properties change drastically than those of non-tumor cells. Under physiological conditions, we applied a uniaxial deformation to a single cell adhering between two parallel glass plates (microplates). A precise feedback control allowed for measurements at constant force or constant deformation. Both microplates were functionalized in order to control cell adhesion. Thus, we manipulated a single living cell by controlled adhesion and defined external mechanical stress. We evaluated elasticity and viscosity of different cell types, such as fibroblasts, human pancreatic cancer cells. In presence of two bioactive lipids, lysophosphalitidic acid (LPA) and sphingosylphosphorylcholine (SPC), we analysed the mechanical response of Panc-1 cells. LPA and SPC influenced the organisation of actin- or keratin-cytoskeleton. E.g., elasticity of Panc-1 cells decreased in presence of SPC consolidating biological studies which predicted that SPC could facilitate metastasis.