A5084331886- Cellular Mechanics and Interactions
- Force Microscopy Techniques and Applications
- 3D Printing in Biomedical Research
- Lipid Membrane Structure and Behavior
- Microfluidic and Bio-sensing Technologies
- Microtubule and mitosis dynamics
- Micro and Nano Robotics
- Malaria Research and Control
- Polymer Surface Interaction Studies
- Cellular transport and secretion
- Blood properties and coagulation
- Erythrocyte Function and Pathophysiology
- Cardiomyopathy and Myosin Studies
- Advanced Fluorescence Microscopy Techniques
- Adhesion, Friction, and Surface Interactions
- Diffusion and Search Dynamics
- Cell Adhesion Molecules Research
- Bacteriophages and microbial interactions
- Biocrusts and Microbial Ecology
- Crystallization and Solubility Studies
- Surfactants and Colloidal Systems
- Spaceflight effects on biology
- X-ray Diffraction in Crystallography
- Silk-based biomaterials and applications
- Liquid Crystal Research Advancements
Heidelberg Institute for Theoretical Studies
2016-2025
Heidelberg University
2016-2025
Max Planck School Matter to Life
2024
Instituto de Física Teórica
2021-2023
Heidelberg University
2007-2023
Quantitative BioSciences
2021
Heidelberg (Poland)
2016-2020
Software (Spain)
2020
University Medical Center Freiburg
2009-2018
Karlsruhe Institute of Technology
2008-2017
The transition of cell-matrix adhesions from the initial punctate focal complexes into mature elongated form, known as contacts, requires GTPase Rho activity. In particular, activation myosin II-driven contractility by a target Rho-associated kinase (ROCK) was shown to be essential for contact formation. To dissect mechanism Rho-dependent induction contacts and elucidate role cell contractility, we applied mechanical force vinculin-containing dot-like at edge using micropipette. Local...
Cells in tissues are mechanically coupled both to the ECM and neighboring cells, but coordination interdependency of forces sustained at cell-ECM cell–cell adhesions unknown. In this paper, we demonstrate that endogenous force contact between a pair epithelial cells is approximately 100 nN, directed perpendicular interface concentrated edges. This stably maintained over time despite significant fluctuations length cell morphology. A direct relationship total cellular traction on exists,...
How focal adhesions (FAs) convert retrograde filamentous actin (F-actin) flow into traction stress on the extracellular matrix to drive cell migration is unknown. Using combined force and fluorescent speckle microscopy, we observed a robust biphasic relationship between F-actin speed force. inversely related near edge where FAs are formed motion rapid. In contrast, larger low marked by direct stress. We found that switch determined threshold of 8–10 nm/s, independent changes in FA protein...
One of the most unique physical features cell adhesion to external surfaces is active generation mechanical force at cell-material interface. This includes pulling forces generated by contractile polymer bundles and networks, pushing polymerization networks. These are transmitted substrate mainly focal adhesions, which large, yet highly dynamic clusters. Tissue cells use these sense properties their environment communicate with each other. The effect intricately linked material environment....
The mechanics of the actin cytoskeleton have a central role in regulation cells and tissues, but details how molecular sensors recognize deformations forces are elusive. By performing laser nanosurgery cultured epithelial fibroblasts, we show that retraction stress fibers (SFs) is restricted to proximity cut new adhesions form at retracting end. This suggests SFs attached substrate. A computational model for confirms this hypothesis predicts distribution propagation contractile along SF. We...
Malaria-causing parasites proliferate within erythrocytes through schizogony, forming multinucleated stages before cellularization. Nuclear multiplication does not follow a strict geometric 2
Adhering cells actively probe the mechanical properties of their environment and use resulting information to position orient themselves. We show that a large body experimental observations can be consistently explained from one unifying principle, namely strengthen contacts cytoskeleton in direction effective stiffness. Using linear elasticity theory model extracellular environment, we calculate optimal cell organization for several situations interest find excellent agreement with...
We solve the stochastic equations for a cluster of parallel bonds with shared constant loading, rebinding and completely dissociated state as an absorbing boundary. In small force regime, lifetime grows only logarithmically bond number weak rebinding, but exponentially strong rebinding. Therefore is essential to ensure physiological lifetimes. The decays time most cases, in intermediate increase loading can lead much faster decay. This effect might be used by cell-matrix adhesions induce...
Regulating the emergence of leaders is a central aspect collective cell migration, but underlying mechanisms remain ambiguous. Here we show that selective leader cells at epithelial wound-margin depends on dynamics follower and spatially limited by length-scale force transduction. Owing to dynamic heterogeneity monolayer, behind prospective manifest locally increased traction monolayer stresses much before these display any phenotypic traits. Followers, in turn, pull future elect them their...
Abstract Cytoskeletal mechanics regulates cell morphodynamics and many physiological processes. While contractility is known to be largely RhoA-dependent, the process by which localized biochemical signals are translated into cell-level responses poorly understood. Here we combine optogenetic control of RhoA, live-cell imaging traction force microscopy investigate dynamics actomyosin-based generation. Local activation RhoA not only stimulates local recruitment actin myosin but also increased...
Actin is the main protein used by biological cells to adapt their structure and mechanics needs. Cellular adaptation made possible molecular processes that strongly depend on mechanics. The actin cytoskeleton also an active material continuously consumes energy. This allows for dynamical are only out of equilibrium opens up possibility multiple layers control have evolved around this single protein.Here we discuss from viewpoint physics as adaptive can build structures superior man-made soft...
Abstract Although essential for many cellular processes, the sequence of structural and molecular events during clathrin-mediated endocytosis remains elusive. While it was long believed that clathrin-coated pits grow with a constant curvature, recently suggested clathrin first assembles to form flat structures then bend while maintaining surface area. Here, we combine correlative electron light microscopy mathematical growth laws study ultrastructural rearrangements coat in BSC-1 mammalian...
Adherent cells use forces at the cell-substrate interface to sense and respond physical properties of their environment. These cell can be measured with traction force microscopy which inverts equations elasticity theory calculate them from deformations soft polymer substrates. We introduce a new type that in contrast traditional methods uses additional image data for cytoskeleton adhesion structures biophysical model improve robustness inverse procedure abolishes need regularization. this...