Regensburg 2007 – scientific programme

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BP: Fachverband Biologische Physik

BP 19: Biosensors and Biofunctionalized Systems

BP 19.6: Talk

Wednesday, March 28, 2007, 16:45–17:00, H43

Membrane-Grafted Hyaluronan Films: a Well-Defined Model of Glycoconjugate Cell Coats — •Ralf Richter and Joachim Spatz — Heidelberg University & MPI for Metals Research (Stuttgart)

Many cells endow themselves with a carbohydrate-rich pericellular coat, which is particular in many respects. It is amazingly thick (up to several micrometers), extremely hydrated, self-assembled and highly dynamic. These coats play a crucial role in the general protection of the cell, act as a mediator in the communication with its environment, and are vital in structuring its surrounding. A prominent example of such an intriguing self-organized edifice is the hyaluronan-rich coat around chondrocytes. The elucidation of the self-organization and functional properties of these coats constitutes a considerable challenge, due to the complex dynamics of the living cell and due to the coat's highly hydrated nature.

We have developed simplified models of the pericellular coat that are confined on solid supports. Such confinement makes them amenable to investigations with a wide range of biophysical characterization techniques. The end-grafting of hyaluronan (HA) on a solid-supported lipid membrane is an example of a bottom-up approach, with which we create well-controlled models with tuneable complexity that mimic various aspects of the pericellular coat. We present novel experimental approaches to characterize the formation kinetics, thickness, mechanical properties and permeability of hyaluronan-based films. Ultimately, we expect to gain novel information about the relationship between the coat's composition, supramolecular structure and biological function.