Dresden 2006 – scientific programme
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AKB: Biologische Physik
AKB 5: Cell Motility II
AKB 5.6: Talk
Monday, March 27, 2006, 15:30–15:45, ZEU 255
Lateral Membrane Waves Constitute a Universal Dynamic Pattern of Motile Cells within the Animal Kingdom — •H.-G. Döbereiner1,2, B. J. Dubin-Thaler1, J. Hofman3, H. S. Xenias1, T. N. Sims4, G. Giannone1, M. L. Dustin4, C. Wiggins3, and M. P. Sheetz1 — 1Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York — 2Physics, Columbia University, New York — 3Applied Physics, Columbia University, New York — 4Skirball Institute, New York University School of Medicine, New York
Cell motility is driven by actin polymerization and myosin motor activity. We have monitored active movements of the cell circumference using quantitative differential interference contrast and total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy. Spreading and motility essays were done on specifically adhesive substrates for a variety of cells including mouse embryonic fibroblasts and T-cells, as well as wing disk cells from drosophila melanogaster. Despite their functional diversity, all those cell types exhibit similar dynamic patterns in their normal membrane velocity. In particular, we found that protrusion and retraction activity is organized in lateral waves running along the cell circumference with speeds on the order of 100 nm/s. These wave patterns show both spatial and temporal long-range periodic correlations reflecting a corresponding organization of the actomyosin gel. These lateral waves seem to be quite a general phenomenon, since we found them in two different cell types of the mouse, a mammal, and in one cell type of the common fruit fly, an insect. Thus, we encounter a universal motility pattern across different phyla within the animal kingdom.