BME 8823 - Cell Mechanics, Adhesion, and Locomotion

Biomechanics and structural biology of cell structure and function, focusing on quantitative description and measurements of cell deformability, adhesion, and locomotion. Cell deformability: erythrocyte properties, membrane mechanics, shear, bending, and area elasticity. Leukocyte structure and deformability. Structural basis of plasma membrane, lipid bilayer, surface structures, nucleus, organelles, cell junctions, cytoskeleton, membrane transport, active cytoskeletal functions, specific and non-specific forces between molecules, protein structure, molecular graphics. Cell adhesion molecules: families of adhesion molecules, cell-cell and cell-matrix binding, biochemical characteristics, regulation of expression, regulation of binding avidity, functional role. Cell adhesion assays: detachment assays, aggregation of leukocytes and platelets, controlled shear systems, flow chambers. Mechanics of cell adhesion: equilibrium analysis of cell adhesion, models of cell rolling, adhesion bond mechanics. Liposomes, microbubbles, and applications to targeted adhesion. Cell motility: measurement of active forces and motility in cells, molecular motors. Effects of mechanical stress and strain on cell function. Prerequisite: Instructor permission.

Credits: 3