Dec. 29, 2009

Optical Tweezers

The propulsion of the leading edge of neuronal lamellipodia is a complex process in which the polymerization of actin filaments towards the cell membrane is a major component [1,2]. This process is at the origin of force generation in neurons. By using optical tweezers, we have characterized the dynamics by which lamellipodia of Dorsal Root Ganglia neurons exerted force on encountered obstacles such as silica beads. more