Mechanisms of actin-based force generation, morphodynamics and motility of single cells

• Applicants: Professor Dr. Martin Falcke; Professor Dr. Josef Alfons Käs; Professor Dr. Klemens Rottner
• Subject Area: Biophysics ; Bioinformatics and Theoretical Biology ; Cell Biology
• Term: from 2014 to 2019
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 260518605

Cells crawl during embryogenesis, wound healing or tumor metastasis. In many cell types and in many phases of motility, the force generating motion is established by the polymerization of actin filaments in membrane protrusions like pseudopodia, lamellipodia or growth cones of neurons. The same processes also drive cellular morphodynamics. The current project investigates how actin polymerization generates the force causing cell motion and morphodynamics. The force-velocity-relation will be measured with constant and position-dependent force using scanning force microscopy. We will also monitor function and behavior of retrograde actin flow. Modulating actin filament nucleation and cross-linking will reveal the impact of these parameters and of the degree of network connectivity on the mechanical properties of cell edge protrusion and force generation. All experiments will be supported by mathematical modeling, and hypotheses on mechanisms will be quantitatively formulated in terms of mathematical models.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants