Joint Soft Matter Seminar:Title: Physical models of crawling cell motility

Prof. Dr. Pierre Sens
Institut Curie, Paris, France

ABSTRACT:

Cell motility is generally powered by actin polymerization and acto-myosin contraction. When moving over a flat and rigid substrate, cells usually develop thin and broad protrusions at their front, called lamellipodia, where actin polymerisation generates a protrusive force pushing the front edge of the cell forward. The lamellipodium displays interesting dynamics, including normal and lateral waves, possibly relevant to cell polarisation and the initiation of motion. Crawling cells move by generating traction forces on their surrounding, which can be measured by traction force microscopy. These forces often exhibit interesting spatio-temporal patterns which are crucial to the cell’s ability to move, including periodic oscillations that may be related to the lamellipodial waves discussed above. In this talk, I will discuss a stochastic model of mechano-sensitive cell adhesion where the dynamical force patterns emerges from a stick-slip dynamics. The relevance of this dynamics for symmetry breaking, cell polarisation, and motility will also be discussed. I will then discuss a generic model of micro-crawlers (an extension of low Reynolds number micro-swimmers that interact with a solid substrate) that highlights the crucial role of mechano-sensitive adhesion for the active crawling of cells and soft micrometrical objects.

Kontakt

Jens Elgeti

Telefon: +49 2461 61-9382

Fax:  +49 2461 61-3180

E-Mail: 

j.elgeti@fz-juelich.de