Regensburg 2007 – scientific programme

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BP: Fachverband Biologische Physik

BP 16: Poster Session I

BP 16.7: Poster

Tuesday, March 27, 2007, 17:00–19:30, Poster D

Cell shape-dependent forces at focal adhesions — •Sebastian Schmidt¹, Ilka Bischofs², and Ulrich Schwarz¹ — ¹University of Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 293, D-69120 Heidelberg, Germany — ²University of California at Berkeley, Department of Bioengineering, 717 Potter Street, Berkeley CA 94720, USA

Adhesion-dependent cells probe the mechanical properties of their environment by internally generated forces transmitted to the extracellular environment at sites of focal adhesions, with dramatic consequences for different physiological processes, including cell division and lineage specification. We introduce a mechanical model which allows to relate cellular forces applied to focal adhesions with their shape. Our model predicts that forces at focal adhesions are mainly determined by the line tension present in the cell contour. Both surface tension in the cell envelope and extracellular stiffness have an indirect effect by changing the geometrical arrangement through which the line tension acts. We also discuss the effect of tension-mediated reinforcement of the cell contour.