Parts | Days | Selection | Search | Downloads | Help
BP: Fachverband Biologische Physik
BP 26: Posters II
BP 26.46: Poster
Thursday, February 28, 2008, 17:00–19:30, Poster A
Designing Biomolecule-Nanoparticle Interfaces for the Regulation of Cell Fate — •Lisa Maus1, Roberto Fiammengo1, Oliver Dick2, Malte Wittmann2, Hilmar Bading2, and Joachim P. Spatz1 — 1Max-Planck-Institute for Metals Research, Dept. of New Materials & Biosystems & University of Heidelberg, Dept. of Biophysical Chemistry, Heisenbergstr. 3, D - 70569 Stuttgart — 2University of Heidelberg, Interdisciplinary Center for Neurosciences, Dept. of Neurobiology, Im Neuenheimer Feld 364, D - 69120 Heidelberg
We are aiming at designing stable nanoparticles functionalized with biomolecules to study cell death pathways in primary hippocampal neurons. Due to their unique properties metal nanoparticles show great promise as drug delivery systems and intracellular contrast agents. Especially gold nanoparticles have been studied intensely, due to their high biocompatibility and well known thiol chemistry. The synthesized particles are passivated with PEG thiol derivatives to prevent aggregation in high ionic strength solutions. They are further functionalized with a peptide that is known to specifically block NMDA receptors (N-methyl-D-aspartate) crucial for calcium influx in postsynaptic neurons. Elevated intracellular calcium levels triggered by calcium entry through synaptic NMDA receptors promote cell survival. In contrast, calcium entry through extrasynaptic NMDA receptors seems to initiate cell death cascades. This concept of differential signalling by synaptic and extrasynaptic NMDA receptors is important for the understanding of neuronal diseases such as stroke in which brain damage may be caused by activation of extrasynaptic NMDA receptors.