Berlin 2008 – scientific programme
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BP: Fachverband Biologische Physik
BP 17: Physics of Cells
BP 17.2: Talk
Wednesday, February 27, 2008, 14:15–14:30, PC 203
Particle tracking and microscopy of the intracellular transport of polyethyleneimine based gene carriers — •Ralf Bausinger1 and Andreas Zumbusch2 — 1Fachbereich Physik, Universität Konstanz, Fach M684, 78457 Konstanz — 2Fachbereich Chemie, Universität Konstanz, Fach M722, 78457 Konstanz
Polyethyleneimine (PEI) based gene carriers are among the most efficient synthetic vectors for the delivery of DNA into the cell nucleus. We use highly sensitive fluorescence microscopy and single particle tracking methods for the investigation of the particles' paths from the plasma membrane to the nucleus. Active actin polymerization around the particle supports its cell entry and Rab protein accumulation initiates the fast vesicular transport on microtubules. Trajectories of this bidirectional transport process are segmented by a numerical algorithm separating different modes of motion. Diffusion analysis of these segments allows the unravelling of the distribution of intracellular transport velocities. We further investigated the role of mitosis on the particle distribution of the daughter cells and the subsequent expression of the transgene.