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BP: Fachverband Biologische Physik
BP 12: Poster II
BP 12.48: Poster
Tuesday, April 2, 2019, 14:00–16:00, Poster B2
Influence of nanostructured polymer surfaces on neuronal development — •Frano Milos1, Andreea Belu1, Dirk Mayer1, Maria Rosa Antognazza2, Vanessa Maybeck1, and Andreas Offenhäusser1 — 1Institute of Complex Systems ICS-8, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Jülich, Germany — 2Center for Nano Science and Technology @Polimi, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Milano, Italy
The complexity of the extracellular matrix consists of micro- and nanoscale structures that influence neuronal development, differentiation, and neuritogenesis through contact guidance. Therefore, the ability to manipulate neuronal growth has great implications for both neuronal repair and the potential design of implantable biomedical devices. We employ precisely designed nanostructured polymers to investigate the effects of surface topography on growth and guidance of primary cortical neurons using time-lapse fluorescent microscopy. Recently, we demonstrated that nanoscale pillars accelerate axon establishment and change the periodicity of the axon growth dynamics resulting in longer axons aligned to the underlying topography. These results demonstrate that axon growth can be modulated and guided by the dimensions of physical cues on the surface. Axon growth cones sense their environment through complex signaling pathways that modulate cytoskeletal dynamics and induce growth in a specific direction. Therefore, we aim to investigate F-actin dynamics and mechanosensing in relation to surface topography during different stages of development to elucidate the mechanisms underlying the topography-induced responses.