Berlin 2018 – scientific programme
Parts | Days | Selection | Search | Updates | Downloads | Help
BP: Fachverband Biologische Physik
BP 3: Cell Adhesion and Migration, Multicellular Systems I
BP 3.4: Talk
Monday, March 12, 2018, 10:15–10:30, H 2013
Confinement and topography control 3D motility of crawling cells — •Benjamin Winkler1, Igor S. Aranson2,3, and Falko Ziebert1,4 — 1Physikalisches Institut, Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg, Germany — 2Department of Biomedical Engineering, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, USA — 3Materials Science Division, Argonne National Laboratory, USA — 4Institute for Theoretical Physics, Ruprecht-Karls-University Heidelberg, Germany
The natural environment of motile cells are heterogeneously-shaped, three-dimensional geometries, often inducing also strong confinement effects. In turn, it is of great importance to model the role substrate topography and confinement play in cellular movement. We have developed a three-dimensional computational model, based on the so-called phase field approach, to study lamellipodium-driven crawling cells in arbitrarily shaped surroundings. We then studied several well-defined scenarios, such as a systematic variation of substrate curvature (from cells on thin fibers to the movement inside a capillary), vertical confinement between two plates, as well as topographically structured substrates. The derived, purely physical, guiding principles for motile cells should help discerning effects from truly specific biochemical cues and/or regulatory activity from the cell itself.