Regensburg 2013 – scientific programme
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BP: Fachverband Biologische Physik
BP 1: Cell migration
BP 1.3: Talk
Monday, March 11, 2013, 10:15–10:30, H43
Effects of adhesion dynamics and substrate compliance on shape and motility of crawling cells — •Falko Ziebert1,2 and Igor Aranson3,4 — 1Physikalisches Institut, Albert-Ludwigs-Universität, 79104 Freiburg, Germany — 2Institut Charles Sadron, 67034 Strasbourg, France — 3Materials Science Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, IL 60439, USA — 4Engineering Sciences and Applied Mathematics, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60202, USA
Understanding physical mechanisms of cell motility and its relation to substrate properties is essential e.g. for morphogenesis or wound healing or for the development bio-active surfaces. We present an effective computational model, based on the cell's shape deformation mediated by the actin cytoskeleton, coupled to the dynamics of adhesion site formation and the elastic response of the substrate. We reproduce and analyze key experimental observations, like transitions from steady cell motion to stick-slip motion with concomitant shape oscillations. We present 'phase' diagrams for the different types of motion as a function of the determining parameters like actin protrusion rate, substrate stiffness, and the rates of adhesion site formation. The model also has been investigated for substrates with stripe-patterned adhesiveness: on hard adhesive substrates, cells move along the stripes, while for softer and/or less adhesive substrates motion perpendicular to the stripes occurs, a prediction that might be relevant for the design of selective bio-active substrates for e.g. cell sorting.