Dresden 2014 – wissenschaftliches Programm

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BP: Fachverband Biologische Physik

BP 7: Posters: Cell adhesion, mechanics and migration

BP 7.15: Poster

Montag, 31. März 2014, 17:30–19:30, P3

Cell Shape and Forces on Micropatterned Substrates Predicted by a Cellular Potts Model — •Philipp J. Albert and Ulrich S. Schwarz — Institute of Theoretical Physics, University of Heidelberg

Micropatterned substrates are increasingly used to decrease the variability inherent to cell experiments and to quantitatively study the relation between cell shape and function. When combined with traction force microscopy on soft elastic substrates, micropatterns can be used to evaluate the average relation between cell shape and forces, independent of the exact organization of the adhesion contacts and the cytoskeleton in an individual experiment. However, a conceptually transparent and easy-to-implement modeling framework for this situation is still missing. Here we show that a two-dimensional cellular Potts model (CPM) can predict cell shape and forces on micropatterned substrates in good agreement with experimental results if the energy function of previous formulations of the CPM is modified to account for adhesive energies and local contour reinforcement by peripheral bundles. While these additional elements are required to describe shape and forces during periods of strong contraction, the CPM-part describes more dynamic situation, such as spreading over a pattern. Together, these elements result in a flexible and efficient framework to predict cell shape and forces on arbitrary adhesive geometries.