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BP: Fachverband Biologische Physik
BP 13: Cell Migration
BP 13.1: Talk
Wednesday, March 25, 2009, 10:45–11:00, ZEU 260
Quantitative studies of Dictyostelium discoideum chemotaxis — •Matthias Theves1, Carsten Beta1,2, and Eberhard Bodenschatz1 — 1Max-Planck Institut für Dynamik und Selbstorganisation, Göttingen — 2Universität Potsdam
We use microfluidic tools to expose Dictyostelium discoideum amebae, a model organism for eukaryotic chemotaxis, to directional stimuli of cyclic adenosine 3',5' monophosphate (cAMP). We classify the migrational patterns of single cells in stationary linear gradients and quantify the accuracy of directional migration as a function of gradient steepness and varying midpoint concentrations. The results on wild-type chemotaxis serve as a reference to study the altered motility of various cytoskeletal mutants. In particular, we focus on constructs lacking regulators of the Arp2/3 complex, a key player in the formation of a dense cortical actin network at the leading edge of motile cells.