Collective phenomena in cytoskeletal dynamics during formation of immunological synapses

• Antragsteller: Professor Dr. Karsten Kruse
• Fachliche Zuordnung: Biophysik
• Förderung: Förderung von 2009 bis 2012
• Projektkennung: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Projektnummer 149589206

Cells respond to a multitude of external signals like chemical or mechanical stimuli. Stimulation often induces cell polarization through a rearrangement of the cytoskeleton, a network of filamentous proteins that is crucial for many vital cellular processes. While it is obvious that the cytoskeleton is affected by extracellular stimuli, it is also actively involved in signal transduction. The way, in which cytoskeleton organization during signaling emerges from the interplay of cytoskeletal proteins is largely unknown. Employing physical descriptions in combination with fluorescence microscopy, we will analyze cytoskeletal dynamics and its functional implications for cell signaling during formation and maintenance of immunological synapses. Immunological synapses are contact sites of T-cells with antigen-presenting cells and are crucial for T-cell activation eventually leading to the destruction of antigens and infected cells.

• DFG-Verfahren: Sachbeihilfen
• Großgeräte: Vollautomatisches konfokales Fluoreszenzmikroskop
• Gerätegruppe: 5000 Labormikroskope
• Beteiligte Person: Professor Dr. Markus Hoth