Dresden 2006 – wissenschaftliches Programm
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AKB: Biologische Physik
AKB 27: Cell Mechanics II
AKB 27.2: Vortrag
Freitag, 31. März 2006, 11:45–12:00, ZEU 260
Viscoelastic Properties of Glial Cells and Neurons — •Yun Bi Lu1,2, Kristian Franze2, Josef Käs2, and Andreas Reichenbach1 — 1Paul-Flechsig-Institut für Hirnforschung, Universität Leipzig, Jahnallee 59, 04109 Leipzig, Deutschland — 2Abteilung Physik Weicher Materie, Universität Leipzig, Linnéstr.5, 04103 Leipzig, Deutschland
To achieve a better understanding of the physical support function of glia (meaning ’glue’), we investigate the mechanical properties of glial cells and neurons by using atomic force microscope. Müller cells, the principal glial cells of the retina, are the only cells spanning its entire thickness. We investigated the viscoelastic properties of different parts along Müller cells (endfoot, inner process, soma and outer process) and of bipolar cell (i.e., neuronal) somata. The results showed that Müller cell somata are more elastic (i.e., stiffer) than their processes and endfeet. If compared to bipolar cell somata, Müller cell somata were shown to be less elastic (i.e., softer). For both cell types, the ratio of elastic part to viscous part of the response was above 1, which means that their biomechanics are dominated by elastic rather than viscous properties. We performed similar measurements on astrocytes (glial cells) and pyramidal cells (neurons) isolated from brain hippocampus. The astrocytes were found to be less elastic than the pyramidal cells, and both cell types displayed dominant elastic properties. In conclusion, we suggest that glial cells are softer than neurons, and both cell types are elastic rather than viscous. This means that glial cells are neither ’glue’ nor ’support cells’; most likely, they constitute very soft ’springs’ generating an optimal substrate for neuronal cell process growth and plasticity.