Berlin 2024 – scientific programme
Parts | Days | Selection | Search | Updates | Downloads | Help
BP: Fachverband Biologische Physik
BP 28: Cytoskeleton
BP 28.5: Talk
Thursday, March 21, 2024, 11:00–11:15, H 2032
Cytoskeletal Networks in Cells Under Strain — •Ruth Meyer1, Marie Tersteegen1, Anna V. Schepers1, Peter Luley1, Ulrike Rölleke1, Nicole Schwarz2, Jonathan Bodenschatz3, Amaury Perez Tirado3, Andreas Janshoff3, and Sarah Köster1 — 1Institute for X-Ray Physics, University of Göttingen — 2Institute of Molecular and Cellular Anatomy, RWTH Aachen University — 3Institute of Physical Chemistry, University of Göttingen
The cytoskeleton of eukaryotes consists of three types of filaments: F-actin, microtubules and intermediate filaments (IFs). In contrast to microtubules and F-actin, IFs are expressed in a cell-type specific manner, and among them keratins are found in epithelial cells. In certain cell types, the keratin IFs form a layer close to the membrane which may be referred to as an "IF-cortex". Furthermore, it is hypothesized that this IF-cortex arranges with radial spokes in a "rim-and-spokes" structure in epithelia. Based on this hypothesis, IFs and actin filaments might add complementary mechanical properties to the cortex. It was previously shown that single IFs in vitro remain undamaged even at high strains. We now ask the question of whether this unique force-extension behavior of single IFs is also relevant in the filament network within a cell. Here, we show the influence of equibiaxial strain on wild-type and keratin-deficient cells comparing the mechanical properties and the structure of actin and IF networks close to the cell membrane. We find an increase of cell stiffness and compressibility while fluidity and tension decrease during stretching.
Keywords: Keratin; Actin; MDCK; AFM; Microscopy