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BP: Fachverband Biologische Physik

BP 17: Posters: Physics of Cells

BP 17.3: Poster

Mittwoch, 28. März 2012, 17:30–19:30, Poster A

The Mechanics of Cellular Compartmentalization and Its Impact on Tumor Spreading — •Steve Pawlizak, Anatol Fritsch, Mareike Zink, and Josef A. Käs — Institute for Experimental Physics I, Soft Matter Physics Division, University of Leipzig, Germany

Compartmentalization is a fundamental process of cellular organization that occurs in particular during embryonic development. A simple model system demonstrating compartmentalization involves mixing together two different populations of suspended cells. After a certain time, this mixture will eventually segregate into two phases, whereas mixtures of the same cell type will not. The differential adhesion hypothesis by Malcolm S. Steinberg (1960s) explains this organization behavior by differences in surface tension and adhesiveness of the interacting cells. To understand to which extent the same physical principles affect tumor growth and spreading between compartments [1], we investigate cellular mechanical properties and interactions of various cell types, such as healthy and cancerous breast cell lines of different malignancy as well as primary cells from human cervix carcinoma. To this end, a set of techniques is applied: The Optical Stretcher is used for whole cell rheology. Cell-cell-adhesion forces are directly measured with a modified atomic force microscope. 3D segregation experiments are employed with a newly developed setup for long-term observation of droplet cultures. The combination of these techniques will help to clarify the role of cellular adhesion for tumor spreading.

[1] A. Fritsch et al., Nature Physics 6 (10): 730–732 (2010)