Attached to the exterior of many mammallian cells is a sugar coat called the pericellular matrix or in some contexts, the glycocalyx. Extended and crosslinked by sugar-binding proteins, these coats can be extensive (up to ~10 microns thick). Our lab is focused on understanding and measuring the physical and structural properties of the pericellular matrix and relating it to its known role in modulating cell adhesion, motility, and proliferation. (more)
We study various aspects of intracellular transport inside single living cells, including organelle distributions, cooperativity of molecular motors and the transport of phagosomes. In our recent studies, we demonstrated that some cells can be led to form 3D crystals of organelles with surprising effects on the cells.
Phagocytosis is the process by which certain specialized cells "eat" other objects or cells in the surrounding tissue. The process involves large deformations of the cell membrane, driven by a complex machinery of proteins including actin and molecuar motors. While quite a bit is known about the assemblies of proteins involved in this process, little is known about how they work together to exert the mechanical forces needed to deform the membrane and ingest external objects. We are developing a three-dimensional force probe to detect the forces of phagocytosis in real time. Ultimately, we will use this new force assay to systematically probe the functionality of various proteins through genetic manipulation.
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