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SUMMARY:Guided by curvature: A theoretical model of cellular shape dynamic
 s and motility\, coupling curvature and activity - Nir Gov (Weizmann Insti
 tute of Science)
DTSTART:20230905T103000Z
DTEND:20230905T110000Z
UID:TALK203824@talks.cam.ac.uk
DESCRIPTION:How cells can control their shapes\, and utilize these shape c
 hanges functionally\, for example during migration\, is an ongoing challen
 ge in biology. One mechanism is by expressing curved membrane proteins\, w
 hile in addition\, cells deform their membranes by exerting cytoskeleton-b
 ased forces\, such as the recruitment of actin polymerization to the membr
 ane. Combining these two membrane deforming mechanisms\, opens up the poss
 ibility for a variety of feedbacks. For example\, convex proteins (protrud
 ing outwards) enhance their aggregation when recruiting protrusive forces 
 (due to actin polymerization)\, and this coupling can induce strong patter
 n formation that spontaneously breaks the uniform state. The study of how 
 membranes deform and evolve when driven by this curvature-activity couplin
 g for unrestricted (larg! e) deformations\, has only just began. We have f
 ound that this system can explain the lamellipodia-driven spreading of adh
 ering cells\, and that it contains the minimal ingredients to exhibit spon
 taneous motility. We present results on the role of the curvature-force co
 upling in the context of different cellular problems\, such as phagocytosi
 s\, cell migration over curved surfaces\, filopodia protrusions\, macropin
 ocytosis and response of cells to shear flow. The simplicity of the model\
 , with a small number of components\, enables us to gain deep understandin
 g of a large variety of biological phenomena.
LOCATION:Seminar Room 1\, Newton Institute
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