Dresden 2017 – wissenschaftliches Programm

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BP: Fachverband Biologische Physik

BP 9: Posters - Cell Mechanics

BP 9.12: Poster

Montag, 20. März 2017, 17:30–19:30, P3

Force fluctuations of suspended cells- effects of osmotic pressure and motor inhibition — •Samaneh Rezvani¹, Todd M. Squires², and Christoph F. Schmidt¹ — ¹Drittes Physikalisches Institut, Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, Germany — ²Department of Chemical Engineering, University of California, Santa Barbara, USA

Cells communicate with their environment through biochemical and mechanical interactions. They can respond to stimuli by undergoing shape- and, in some situations, volume changes. Key determinants of the mechanical response of a cell are the viscoelastic properties of the actomyosin cortex, effective surface tension, and osmotic pressure. We use a custom-designed microfluidic device with integrated hydrogel micro-windows to rapidly change solution conditions for cells suspended by optical traps without direct fluid flow. We use biochemical inhibitors and different osmolytes and investigate the time-dependent response of individual cells. Using a dual optical trap makes it possible to probe the viscoelasticity of suspended cells by active and passive microrheology to quantify the mechanical response of the cells under the various conditions.