Berlin 2012 – scientific programme

Parts | Days | Selection | Search | Updates | Downloads | Help

BP: Fachverband Biologische Physik

BP 17: Posters: Physics of Cells

BP 17.19: Poster

Wednesday, March 28, 2012, 17:30–19:30, Poster A

Mechanics of cellular materials: Adhesion, disease and nonlinearities - a rheometric approach — •Mathias Sander and Albrecht Ott — Universität des Saarlandes

Biological cells are capable of sensing mechanical cues from their environment and they respond to them. The cell reactions range from cell adhesion, shape changes, motility, proliferation up to an adaption of mechanical properties (kinematic hardening, stress stiffening, fluidization) and even to gene expression modifications. All these abilities are essential for various biological processes among them tissue formation, wound healing or cancer metastasis. Investigation of cell mechanical properties has been driven for decades with various methods, however, it is still poorly understood, due to the complexity and the huge variety of cell behavior. In our experiments we investigate the nonlinearity of the cell mechanical response characterized by means of Fourier-Transform-Rheology. For this purpose we have developed a rheometric cell monolayer shear apparatus consisting of a commercial rheometer modified to accomodate the needs of biological cells. We also study cell adhesion, here on inorganic AL/Al2O3- nanowire-substrates, using the same technique. We also present data on tissue mechanics, namely the impact of atherosclerotic lesions on the mechanical properties of aortic tissue.