Berlin 2015 – scientific programme
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BP: Fachverband Biologische Physik
BP 16: Posters: Cell adhesion, mechanics and migration
BP 16.15: Poster
Monday, March 16, 2015, 17:30–19:30, Poster A
Analyzing the influence of external shear stress on cellular force generation with cell traction force microscopy — •Maja Gulic1, Thomas Kerst1, Manfred Frick2, Anita Ignatius3, and Kay-E. Gottschalk1 — 1Institute for Experimental Physics, Ulm, Germany — 2Institute of General Physiology, Ulm, Germany — 3Institute of Orthopaedic Research and Biomechanics, Ulm, Germany
External shear stress influences cell properties like cell shape or migration. Important components of the cell migration machinery are integrins, the actin cytoskeleton and messenger proteins. Connection of these components leads to assembly of focal adhesions and thus generation of traction forces. Using cell traction force microscopy we have the possibility to examine these forces under different conditions.
We fabricated polydimethylsiloxane micropost arrays via photolithography. Measuring the deflection of a micropost during cell adhesion made it possible to calculate the cellular force. We examined various cell lines, with and without applied shear stress. The AT I like rat epithelial cell line R3/1 and the adenocarcinomic human alveolar epithelial cell line A549, as an in vitro model for a AT II cell, were used in our experiments. Applying shear stress simulates the negative effects of pulmonary diseases whereupon liquid occlusions in the lung might produce fluid wall shear stress during breathing. In addition we examined the osteocyte-like cell line MLO-Y4. Osteocytes are known to react to fluid shear stress occurring in the canalicular system in bones. In vitro studies showed e.g. upregulation of cell proliferation after inducing shear stress.