Dresden 2011 – scientific programme

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BP: Fachverband Biologische Physik

BP 27: Physics of Cells III

BP 27.8: Talk

Thursday, March 17, 2011, 16:15–16:30, ZEU 250

Influence of Calcium Signaling on Biomechanics of Single Suspended Cells in the Optical Stretcher — •Markus Gyger and Josef A. Käs — Universität Leipzig, Faculty of Physics and Earth Science, Soft Matter Physics Division, Linnéstraße 5, 04103 Leipzig, Germany

Under physiological conditions many cells must react to mechanical stimuli. This raises interesting questions regarding the mechanisms by which cells register and respond to applied forces. For adherent cells focal adhesions seem to play an important role in mechano-tranduction. Also calcium, one of the most important second messengers, is involved in a number of known mechano-activated cell responses.

In the presented study cells, artificially suspended by trypsin, were investigated to elucidate the influence of calcium signals on the mechanical properties of cells independent of focal adhesions. To this end techniques to visualize, quench, and artificially induce calcium signals were combined with the Optical Stretcher, a tool to probe global mechanical behavior of single cells in suspension. In the Optical Stretcher, cells are trapped by two anti-parallel laser beams. By increasing the laser power the momentum transferred to the cell surface causes visible deformations. Different cells such as fibroblasts, epithelial cells, myotubes and a TRPV1 transfected kidney cell line were investigated by a combination of Optical Stretching and fluorescence calcium imaging in the Laser Scanning Microscope.