Open AccessOptical torques guiding cell motility
Author(s) -
Gabriel Biener,
Emmanuel George Vrotsos,
Kimio Sugaya,
Aristide Dogariu
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
optics express
Language(s) - Uncategorized
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.394
H-Index - 271
ISSN - 1094-4087
DOI - 10.1364/oe.17.009724
Subject(s) - motility , formins , treadmilling , cytoskeleton , actin , breakup , microbiology and biotechnology , physics , optical force , optical tweezers , actin cytoskeleton , biophysics , optics , biology , cell , microfilament , mechanics , genetics
The main mechanism responsible for cell motility is the stochastic generation and breakup of actin filaments forming the cytoskeleton. However, the role of environmental factors in the migration and differentiation of cells is yet to be fully understood. Here we demonstrate that polarized optical fields can exert controllable torques on the actin network and therefore influence the treadmilling process responsible for cells motility. Through systematic experiments and stochastic modeling we demonstrate that actively guiding the dynamics of large groups of cells is possible in a noninvasive manner.