Dresden 2009 – wissenschaftliches Programm
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BP: Fachverband Biologische Physik
BP 11: Novel Methods
BP 11.2: Vortrag
Dienstag, 24. März 2009, 14:45–15:00, ZEU 260
Giving biomechanics a spin: the Optical Cell Rotator — •Anatol Fritsch1, Tobias Kießling1, Moritz Kreysing2, Franziska Wetzel1, and Josef Käs1 — 1University of Leipzig, Germany — 2University of Cambridge, UK
In cell biophysics striking insights have often been connected to new developments of optical microscopy tools enabling a deeper look into the underlying physical principles of cells. We present our newly developed modified divergent dual-beam laser trap, which enables holding and controlled rotation of suspended cells and cell aggregates for high resolution tomographic imaging, called the Optical Cell Rotator.
Showing the possibilities of this technology, we studied the mechanical properties of cells in cell aggregates since it opens the possibility for a deeper understanding of cell-cell interactions in tissues. Malignant tumours are not only agglomerates of homogeneous cells, but rather complex structures containing diverse normal and pathological cells in different stages of aggressiveness. Recent investigations show that the biomechanical properties of benign cells differ from those of cancerous and metastatic cells. However, the optical deformability of primary lung and breast cancer cells compared to their corresponding cell lines show at the first sight an unexpected stiffening behaviour. To elucidate this finding we compare 3D and standard monolayer cultured cells by their mechanical properties with the Optical Stretcher enabling contact-free, whole cell elasticity measurements and the Optical Cell Rotator to connect the findings to the underlying cytoskeletal structure.