Dresden 2017 – scientific programme
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BP: Fachverband Biologische Physik
BP 9: Posters - Cell Mechanics
BP 9.11: Poster
Monday, March 20, 2017, 17:30–19:30, P3
Rheology of the active cell cortex in mitosis — •Elisabeth Fischer-Friedrich1,2, Yusuke Toyoda2,3, Cedric Cattin4, Daniel Müller4, Anthony Hyman2, and Frank Jülicher1 — 1Max Planck Institute for the Physics of Complex Systems, Dresden, Germany — 2Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Dresden, Germany — 3Institute of Life Science, Kurume University, Kurume, Japan — 4D-BSSE, Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule Zürich, Mattenstr. 26, 4058 Basel, Switzerland
The cell cortex is a key structure for the regulation of cell shape and tissue organization. To reach a better understanding of the mechanics and dynamics of the cortex, we study here HeLa cells in mitotic arrest dynamically compressed between two parallel plates. We investigate the dependence of this mechanical response on the geometry of the cell and find strong indications, that the cortical layer is the dominant mechanical element. To characterize the time-dependent rheological response, we perform step strain experiments and oscillatory cell compressions. We extract a complex elastic modulus which characterizes the resistance of the cortex against area dilation. In this way, we present a rheological characterization of the cortical actomyosin network in cells. Furthermore, we investigate the influence of actin cross-linkers and the impact of active prestress on rheological behavior. Intriguingly, we find that cell mechanics in mitosis is captured by a simple rheological model characterized by a single time scale on the order of 10 s which marks the onset of fluidization in the system.