Physical Guidance of Cytoskeletal Dynamics

Invited

Abstract

The guided migration of cells is a complex dynamical process involving carefully regulated polymerization and depolymerization of the elements of the cellular scaffolding, in particular actin. Recent work has shown that polymerizing and depolymerizing actin can be described as an excitable system which exhibits natural waves or oscillations on scales of hundreds of nm, and that wave-like dynamics can be seen in a wide range of natural contexts. I will show that surface nanotopography on scales observed in vivo nucleates and guides the wave-like dynamics of actin polymerization, and that such guided actin waves control cell migration for a broad range of cell types. Furthermore controlled actin waves provide a simple framework to understand seemingly complex aspects of cell migration including the response to chemical and electrical guidance cues, and the ability of cells to follow each other precisely in streams. Thus the excitable systems character of the cellular scaffolding provides a simple, universal framework for analyzing guided migration in living systems.

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Presenters

  • Wolfgang Losert

    University of Maryland, College Park, Department of Physics, University of Maryland, Institute of Physical Sciences, University of Maryland, College Park, Department of Physics, University of Maryland,College Park, Physics, University of Maryland, College Park, Department of Physics, University of Maryland-College Park, IREAP, IPST, University of Maryland, College Park, Departments of Physics, IPST and IREAP, University of Maryland, College Park

Authors

  • Wolfgang Losert

    University of Maryland, College Park, Department of Physics, University of Maryland, Institute of Physical Sciences, University of Maryland, College Park, Department of Physics, University of Maryland,College Park, Physics, University of Maryland, College Park, Department of Physics, University of Maryland-College Park, IREAP, IPST, University of Maryland, College Park, Departments of Physics, IPST and IREAP, University of Maryland, College Park