Berlin 2012 – scientific programme

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BP: Fachverband Biologische Physik

BP 17: Posters: Physics of Cells

BP 17.7: Poster

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

Microfluidic Shear Alters Network Dynamics in Living Cells — •Jens-Friedrich Nolting and Sarah Köster — Institute for X-Ray Physics and CRC Physics, University of Göttingen, Germany

Intermediate filaments are a major component of the eukaryotic cytoskeleton along with microtubules and microfilaments. They play a key role in cell mechanics, providing cells with compliance to small deformations and reinforcing them when large stresses are applied. Here, we present a study of fluorescent keratin intermediate filament networks in living cells with respect to their behavior in the presence of external forces. We expose the cells to controlled shear forces applied by microfluidic methods and investigate the response of the keratin network in situ. We track the nodes in the keratin network to deduce the dynamic behavior of the network as a function of the external shear forces. The time tracks show that the fluctuations dampen upon the application of flow. We then characterize the network dynamics by looking at the mean square displacements over time which grants access to effective diffusion constants. We find that the effective diffusion constant is reduced under shear flow conditions but seems to recover after a certain time. This may be a result of an adjustment of the cell as a response to the external shear forces.