Project 3 - Motility

趋化过程的最后阶段导致细胞的实际运动。这种运动涉及一系列复杂的细胞过程，包括产生突出、收缩和粘附力。人们对这些力量背后的机制知之甚少，部分原因是缺乏量化数据。例如，Dictyostellum细胞如何附着在底物上，以及底物的粘附性和刚性如何影响细胞的运动性，目前还不清楚。然而，新的实验技术开启了研究细胞迁移所涉及的力的可能性，并可以提供深入了解细胞运动性所需的定量数据。我们在这个项目中的目标有两个：第一个目标是使用新颖的微流体技术与创新的底物相结合，确定底物-细胞界面上的力及其在细胞运动中的作用，这些技术允许同时进行分数显微镜和全内反射荧光(TIRF)显微镜。第二个目标是利用这些实验数据建立一个全面的细胞运动计算模型，其中包括力产生、细胞-底物相互作用、膜特性和细胞变形。正如在项目1和2中一样，实验-计算相互作用将是实现我们目标的关键。

The final phase of the chemotactic process results in the actual movement of the cell. This movement involves a complex set of cellular processes and includes the generation of protrusive, retractive, and adhesive forces. The mechanisms underlying these forces are poorly understood, partially due to the lack of quantitative data. For example, it is unclear how Dictyostellum cells adhere to the substrate, and how the substrate adhesiveness and rigidity affect cell motility. New experimental techniques, however, open up the possibility of examining the forces involved in cell migration and can provide quantitative data necessary for a deeper understanding of cell motility. Our goal in this project is two-fold: the first goal is to determine the forces at the substrate-cell interface and their role in cell motility using novel microfluidics techniques in combination with innovative substrates that allow for simultaneous fraction microscopy and Total Internal Reflection Fluorescence (TIRF) microscopy. The second goal is to use this experimental data to build a comprehensive computational model for cell motility that includes force generation, cell-substrate interactions, membrane properties and cell deformations. As in project 1 and 2, the experimental-computational interaction will be critical to achieving our goals.