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BP: Fachverband Biologische Physik

BP 28: Posters: Imaging

BP 28.11: Poster

Donnerstag, 29. März 2012, 17:30–19:30, Poster A

Mechanical Properties of Primary Cilia — •Christopher Battle and Christoph F. Schmidt — 3te Physikalisches Institut, Georg-August Universitaet, Goettingen, Germany

Recent studies have shown that the primary cilium, long thought to be a vestigial cellular appendage with no function, is involved in a multitude of sensory functions. One example, interesting from both a biophysical and medical standpoint, is the primary cilium of kidney epithelial cells, which acts as a mechanosensitive flow sensor. Genetic defects in ciliary function can cause, e.g., polycystic kidney disease (PKD). The material properties of these non-motile, microtubule-based 9+0 cilia, and the way they are anchored to the cell cytoskeleton, are important to know if one wants to understand the mechano-electrochemical response of these cells, which is mediated by their cilia. We have constructed two optical-trapping microscopes for this purpose, one upright instrument with access for patch-clamping pipettes using back-scatterered force and displacement detection, and one inverted microscope with optimized DIC imaging capabilities in conjunction with a double optical trap. With these instruments we can probe the activation of ciliated MDCK cells in confluent monolayers and the mechanical properties of the cilium.