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BP: Fachverband Biologische Physik

BP 32: Posters: Physics of Cells

BP 32.35: Poster

Donnerstag, 25. März 2010, 17:15–20:00, Poster B1

Contact-controlled amoeboid motility in microstructures induces topophoresis — •Carolin Leonhardt, Delphine Arcizet, Sofia Capito, Simon Youssef, Susanne Rappl, Joachim O. Rädler, and Doris Heinrich — Center for Nanoscience, Ludwig- Maximilians-Universität, München

Amoeboid motility is crucial for functionality in many organisms. On a flat and homogeneous substrate, it is generally described as a random walk: Fast and directed migration alternates stochastically with phases of local random probing. To investigate the effect of surface topography on this search strategy, which is a key to understand the interplay between migration dynamics and cellsubstrate interactions, we combined high resolution motion analysis and defined microstructured environments. We found that cells of the model organism Dictyostelium discoideum preferentially localise in contact with micropillars and that directed cell migration is biased towards the density gradient within arrays of varying pillar density: the cells undergo topophoresis. Our findings are consistent with a stabilisation of random protrusions that is induced by surface contact. This contact-reinforced motility may enable amoeboid cells to efficiently migrate in their natural habitat while searching for food. This effect could enable us to trap cells by topographical means only.