Regensburg 2010 – wissenschaftliches Programm
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BP: Fachverband Biologische Physik
BP 31: Posters: Membranes and Vesicles
BP 31.4: Poster
Donnerstag, 25. März 2010, 17:15–20:00, Poster B1
Multi-Bilayer Substrates for Cellular Mechanosensing Assays — •Philipp Rauch1, Daniel Minner2, Lydia Woiterski1, Josef Käs1, and Christoph Naumann2 — 1Universität Leipzig, Germany — 2Indiana University, Indianapolis, USA
Many processes in cell motility, morphogenesis and differentiation are influenced by mechanical signals and responses from the cellular environment. Similar mechanisms can be found in different types of cells, amongst others in neuroblasts moving to their final location in the brain, in fibroblasts responding to mechanical properties of the surrounding or in mesenchymal stem cells during differentiaton. The development of in vitro systems to investigate the underlying mechanisms has been in focus of many research groups in different fields. Most present assays are based on functionalized hydrogels or polymeric substrates with variable elasticity which mimic the extracellular matrix. A viscous or viscoelastic environment, however, as it is found in organic tissue and especially in cell-cell contacts cannot be implemented with these methods. In order to overcome these limitations we developed and tested multi-stacked tethered lipid bilayer substrates with adjustable viscosity suitable for cell adhesion. The lateral mobility of lipid molecules in these layers can be varied from values close to the reduced diffusion in a typical fibroblast plasma membrane to that of a free floating bilayer. As we could show, different cell types respond to subtle changes within that range through altered morphology and growth behavior. Details of the composition and manufacturing process as well as the physical properties of the novel system will be presented.