Math Biology Seminar: Claude Verdier

In order to understand the precise mechanisms used by cancer cells to transmigrate through blood vessels (covered by endothelial cells), physical experiments and models are designed to investigate such processes. In particular, two different techniques are presented: traction force microscopy (TFM) allows to measure forces exerted by cells during migration on a deformable substrate [1]. Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) will be used for the investigation of receptor-ligand bonds between cancer cells and endothelial cells [2]. It may alternatively act as a probe to measure local cell rheology by dynamic indentation. This allows us to obtain elastic and viscous cell component responses. Cells of different invasiveness are thus chosen so that such methods can possibly help differentiate cells with respect to their metastatic potential.

[1] V. Peschetola et al., Cytoskeleton, 70, 201 (2013)

[2] V.M. Laurent et al., 9, e98034, PLOS One (2014)

[3] Y. Abidine et al. EPJ Plus, in press (2015)