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BP: Fachverband Biologische Physik

BP 9: Posters - Cell Mechanics

BP 9.16: Poster

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

Myosin Activity in Epithelial and Mesenchymal Cells — •Enrico Warmt, Erik Morawetz, Steffen Grosser, and Josef Käs — Uni Leipzig, Soft Matter Physics, Linnéstr. 5, 04103 Leipzig

Epithelial-Mesenchymal-Transition is a critical process during cancer development. Epithelial cells are tightly junked by a complex of interlinked actin, E-cadherin and other cytoskeletal proteins. During EMT, cells decrease their E-Cadherin expression. Additionally a prestressed acto-myosin cortex is also hindering cells to migrate freely. Thus, during EMT cells might further form back their acto-myosin cortex. In Optical Stretcher experiments, we observe an active contraction of epithelial cells. That means, despite optical pulling forces cells counteract these forces, leading to cell shrinkage. These internal forces might be closely related to actin-myosin contraction, since we observe a clear loss of this contractility by inhibiting myosin activity for instance by Blebbistatin. By adding epidermal growth factor, we could induce EMT for MCF10A cells. An E-Cadherin stain was further used to determine wether cells are more epithelial- or mesenchymal like. We could directly correlate a higher contractility for cell which have more E-Cadherins expressed. These findings support strongly a down regulation of actin-myosin activity during EMT.