Berlin 2015 – scientific programme

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BP: Fachverband Biologische Physik

BP 22: Posters: Cytoskeletal filaments

BP 22.12: Poster

Tuesday, March 17, 2015, 14:00–16:00, Poster A

Active Microrheology: Mechanical Properties of Keratin 8/18 Networks — •Katinka Mertens¹, Tobias Neckernuß¹, Tobias Paust¹, Ines Martin¹, Harald Herrmann², Michael Beil³, and Othmar Marti¹ — ¹Institute for Experimental Physics, Ulm University, D-89081 Ulm, Germany — ²Division of Molecular Genetics, German Cancer Research Center, D-69120 Heidelberg, Germany — ³Department of Internal Medicine I, Ulm University, D-89081 Ulm, Germany

Intermediate filaments are part of the cytoskeleton and increase the mechanical stability of cells. Keratin 8 and 18 are common intermediate filaments in epithelial cells. We investigate mechanical properties of keratin 8/18 networks using active multi-point microrheology. Polystyrene beads, embedded in the keratin networks, are dynamically deflected with an optical trap. Surrounding beads are excited due to the transmission of stress by the network. Correlating the motion of the beads, we determine the isotropy of networks and their force transmission. Thus, we explore the locally complex tensorial elastic response of heterogeneous networks.