Friday, November 5, 2004  

Prof. Herbert Levine

Dept of Physics / Center for Theoretical Biological Physics, UCSD,

"The Physics of Dictylostelium Aggregation"

2:00 pm in room P-148

Abstract:  Dictylostelium  is a common soil amoeba used as a model system to study many fundamental cellular processes. Dictylostelium amoeba grow as independent cells, but aggregate to form multicellular organisms when challenged by adverse conditions such as starvation. This process involves up to 100,000 separate cells which release a chemoattractant cAMP, which causes the cells to aggregate together via chemotaxis. Subsequently, cells differentiate and sort to form a ’mound’ surrounded by an extracellular matrix. How do the cells know where to go ? How is cell motion coordinated ? How do cell-cell interactions stabilize the ‘mound’ structure ? These are all questions answered using principles of non-equilibrium physics and basic cell biology. This seminar will focus on basic physics principles that define and describe many common cellular processes, in particular cell movement and aggregation.

For more information, see:

http://www.wlap.org/wl-repository/aps/meetings/biology/2004/20040130-umwlcd0001-006/real/sld001.htm