Berlin 2008 – wissenschaftliches Programm
Bereiche | Tage | Auswahl | Suche | Downloads | Hilfe
BP: Fachverband Biologische Physik
BP 7: Posters I
BP 7.11: Poster
Montag, 25. Februar 2008, 17:00–19:30, Poster A
Motility and membrane protein dynamics of trypanosomes in a microfluidic environment. — •Eric Stellamanns1, Niko Heddergott2, Thomas Pfohl1, and Markus Engstler2 — 1Max PIanck Institute for Dynamics and Self-Organization, Bunsenstr.10, 37037 Göttingen, Germany — 2Technical University of Darmstadt,Department of Cellular Dynamics, Schnittspahnstr. 10, 64287 Darmstadt, Germany
The bloodstream parasite, Trypanosoma brucei, causative organism of the sleeping sickness in human and domestic livestock, is highly adapted to its fluidic environment. Placed in serum, trypanosomes swim in an auger-like motion with velocities up to 20 microns per second - much slower than the host's bloodstream. The resulting drag forces are strong enough to move surface bound antibodies towards the posterior cell pole, where they are rapidly internalized and digested. This strategy of escaping the immune system is possible as long as the cell is able to propel with a net direction.
In order to analyze such protein sorting with respect to cell motility, we combine microfluidics with optical tweezers and state of the art fluorescence microscopy. We study the influence of confinement, fluid viscosity and obstacles on the cell movement and therefor on their immune escape.