Regensburg 2013 – scientific programme

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BP: Fachverband Biologische Physik

BP 32: Cell Adhesion and Mechanics

BP 32.8: Talk

Friday, March 15, 2013, 11:30–11:45, H43

Microfluidic Shear Alters Network Dynamics in Living Cells — •Jens-Friedrich Nolting and Sarah Köster — Institute for X-Ray 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 by exposing the cells to controlled microflow. The response of the keratin network to this shear stress is investigated 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 investigation of the time tracks as well as image-to-image cross-correlations show that the network fluctuations are reduced upon the application of flow leading to a more persistent network. We conclude that cytoskeletal cross-talk between the keratin and the actin network is involved in this response to shear stress.