Berlin 2005 – wissenschaftliches Programm
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AKB: Biologische Physik
AKB 100: Poster Session I
AKB 100.8: Poster
Samstag, 5. März 2005, 16:45–18:45, Poster TU D
Measuring Mechanical Forces of Adherent and Locomoting Cells — •Claudia M. Cesa1, Bernd Hoffmann1, Norbert Kirchgeßner1, Ulrich Schwarz2, and Rudolf Merkel1 — 1Institute of Thin Films and Interfaces, ISG-4, Research Centre Jülich — 2Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, Golm
During adhesion and locomotion most cell types apply mechanical forces to their substrates. These forces are generated and transmitted by an intricate protein machinery composed of the cytoskeleton, adhesion complexes, and the extracellular matrix.
We will describe a new technique for measuring mechanical forces developed by cells on substrates. In this method cells are plated on elastomeric layers exhibiting a microstructured surface. Using light microscopy cells and micropattern can be observed simultaneously under physiological conditions. The elastomeric layer is deformed by cellular forces. This deformation can be determined by tracking the displacement of the surface microstructures. Exploiting elasticity theory we are able to calculate cell forces and cellular force fields from the deformation of the substrate.
We will present the fabrication of microstructured, elastomeric substrates, a detailed characterization of their mechanical properties, as well as the resolution of the technique.