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SUMMARY:The mechanical control of CNS development and functioning - Dr Kri
 stian Franze. PDN\, University of Cambridge
DTSTART:20130516T150000Z
DTEND:20130516T160000Z
UID:TALK41621@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:Annabel Griffiths
DESCRIPTION:Many processes in development and disease involve growth and m
 otion at different length and time scales.  As motion is driven by forces\
 , mechanics is a crucial – yet understudied – aspect of many biologica
 l processes.  Here we illustrate how cells in the central nervous system m
 ay be influenced by their mechanical environment.  Using a variety of tech
 niques including custom-built compliant cell culture substrates\, atomic f
 orce microscopy and traction force microscopy\, we investigate how foreign
  body reactions\, axonal pathfinding and invertebrate vision depend on mec
 hanical signals. We show that mechanical substrate properties not only tri
 gger inflammatory reactions in rat glial cells but also help guiding xenop
 us retinal ganglion cell axons in vitro and in vivo. In drosophila photore
 ceptors\, mechanical forces may even be used as second messenger in metabo
 tropic signal transduction.  Together\, these examples illuminate new face
 ts of well-studied systems and suggest that mechanics might be involved in
  many more biological problems than currently assumed. \n
LOCATION:Main Lecture Theatre\, Physiology Building\, Downing Site
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