Regensburg 2010 – wissenschaftliches Programm
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CPP: Fachverband Chemische Physik und Polymerphysik
CPP 47: Focus: Charge Effects in Soft and Biological Matter III (jointly with BP)
CPP 47.4: Vortrag
Freitag, 26. März 2010, 11:15–11:30, H45
Electrostatic interactions control the permeability of biological hydrogel filters — •Oliver Lieleg1,3, Lucy Colwell1,2, Regina Baumgärtel1,3, Ioana Vladescu1, Michael Brenner2, Andreas Bausch3, and Katharina Ribbeck1 — 1FAS Center for Systems Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, USA — 2School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, USA — 3Lehrstuhl für Zellbiophysik E27, Technische Universität München, Germany
The controlled exchange of molecules between biological entities (organelles, cells, or organisms) and their environment is critical for life. Biological hydrogels appear well suited to achieve such selective exchange: A hydrogel within the nuclear pore controls the passage of material between the nucleus and the cytoplasm. Mucus hydrogels lining the uterus, the stomach or the lung allow us to expel ingested particles and defend the cells beneath from a variety of pathogens. Extracellular matrix hydrogels in the connective tissue regulate the distribution of growth factors, proteins or drugs. Although hydrogel based filters are integral parts of biology, clear concepts of how their barrier function is controlled on a microscopic level are missing. Here, we discuss three biological hydrogels which differ in terms of their composition and biological function, but nevertheless seem to share a common physical design principle that regulates their microscopic barrier function: We demonstrate that particle translocation in these hydrogels is based on electrostatic interactions between diffusing particles and the hydrogel polymers rather than size exclusion effects.