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BP: Fachverband Biologische Physik

BP 17: Poster II

BP 17.12: Poster

Mittwoch, 25. März 2009, 17:15–19:45, P3

Cell Motility in Microstructured 3D Topologies — •Sofia Capito, Delphine Arcizet, Joachim Rädler, and Doris Heinrich — Lehrstuhl für Physik weicher Materie und Biophysik, Biophysics of Cell Dynamics, Fakultät für Physik, Center for NanoScience (CeNS), Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München

Living cells sense mechanical and chemical properties of their environment and especially motile cells react to the surrounding 3D topographical conditions.

Whereas most of the current in vitro experiments are carried out on a flat substrate, we investigate cells in 3D surface topologies with fluorescence microscopy techniques. We fabricate well-defined microstructured substrates, consisting of PDMS pillar arrays with varying properties, such as pillar distance, diameter, and density. We study the influence of the substrate topography on cell velocity, motion persistence, and branching of the cells, and aim at controlling and predicting cellular migration in this model 3D environment. The amoeba Dictyostelium discoideum (Dd) is used as a model organism, exhibiting similar motility to neutrophils.

First results indicate that the substrate topography significantly influences Dd cell motility. The calculated mean square displacement (MSD) of the cell center of mass reveals an overdiffusive cell migration behavior in the pillar field, as opposed to a pure random walk on a flat surface.

Further work will concentrate on identifying the intracellular signaling, which triggers cell reaction to 3D topography.