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BP: Fachverband Biologische Physik
BP 6: Poster I
BP 6.63: Poster
Monday, April 1, 2019, 17:30–19:30, Poster B2
Formation of Microtentacles — •Lucina Kainka1, 2, Emmanuel Terriac1, 2, Ludger Santen2, and Franziska Lautenschläger1, 2 — 1NM - Leibniz Institut for New Materials, Saarbrücken, Germany — 2Saarland University, Saarbrücken, Germany
Microtentacles (McTNs) are tubulin based membrane protrusions appearing in circulating tumor cells and playing a significant role in tumor cells reattachment efficiency. A weakened actin cortex enables microtubule to form protrusions with a diameter of less than 1 μm and a length of tens of μm. Using cytoskeletal drugs which are targeting the actin cortex integrity and its contractility, we induce McTNs even in non-cancerous RPE1 cells. We investigate the presence of microtubules and actin as well as vimentin, which has been hypothesized to stabilize McTNs [1], under those conditions. We further establish a statistic over the number and lengths of McTNs depending on different drug concentrations applied. Experiments on the dynamics of McTNs, especially during retraction after drug wash-out, give a better insight in the role of individual cytoskeletal elements. Understanding the mechanisms of the formation of McTNs may help the development of new cancer therapies targeting CTCs in the microvasculature.
[1] R.A. Whipple, E.M. Balzer, E.H. Cho, M.A. Matrone, J.R. Yoon, S.S. Martin, Vimentin Filaments Support Extension of Tubulin-Based Microtentacles in Detached Breast Tumor