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BP: Fachverband Biologische Physik

BP 27: Physics of Cells III

BP 27.6: Talk

Thursday, March 17, 2011, 15:30–15:45, ZEU 250

Contractile network models for adherent cells — •Philip Guthardt Torres^1,2, Ilka B. Bischofs^1,3, and Ulrich S. Schwarz^1,2 — ¹Bioquant, University of Heidelberg — ²ITP, University of Heidelberg — ³ZMBH, University of Heidelberg

Cells sense the geometry and stiffness of their environment by active contractility. Assuming a flat substrate, two-dimensional contractile network models can be used to understand how force is distributed throughout the cell. We show that the widely used Hookean spring networks do not correctly predict cell shape on patterned substrates. The observed circular shape feature is only predicted by actively contracting cable networks, which model both the filamentous mechanics of the actin cytoskeleton and its contraction due to myosin II motor activity. In contrast to Hookean and passive cable networks, here shape and force distribution are determined by local rather than global determinants and thus are suited to endow the cell with a robust sense of its environment. We compare our numerical results with analytical approaches and discuss an extension of this approach which considers adaptive linker mechanics.