Berlin 2012 – scientific programme

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BP: Fachverband Biologische Physik

BP 17: Posters: Physics of Cells

BP 17.34: Poster

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

Filopodia-Lamellipodia Interaction Dynamics in Neuronal Growth Cones — Melanie Knorr and •Josef Käs — Universität Leipzig, Institut für Experimentelle Physik 1, Linnéstr. 5, 04103 Leipzig, Germany

Neurons are one of the most specialized cells in living organisms, capable of detecting weak signals in a very noisy environment. Explorations of its surrounding is guided by the so called growth cone, a thin veil-like structure at the tip of each neurite consisting of actin and microtubules. As these structures move on two-dimensional substrates, they exhibit vast fluctuations at their leading edge. These fluctuations are driven by the polymerization of the underlying actin network [1,2], switching stochastically between On and Off states. Previous studies investigated the dynamics of the growth cone lamellipodia, neglecting the contribution of filopodia to the dynamics. Therefore we focused on the interaction of filopodia and lamellipodia dynamics in primary neuronal growth cones and will show first results concerning correlations of speed, length and distances.

[1] T. Betz, D. Koch, D. Lim and J. A. Kas, Biophys. J., 2009, 96, 5130-5138.

[2] M. Knorr, D. Koch, T. Fuhs U. Behn and J. A. Kas, Soft Matter, 2011, 7, 3192-3203.