Cellular communication via directed protrusion growth: Critical length-scales and membrane morphology

AbstractWe investigated the growth of cell protrusions from adherent HEK 293 cells and their capability to bridge cytophobic Teflon®  AF microgaps, establishing a critical length scale, beyond which cells cannot probe free space. For this purpose, we employed a photolithography-based surface fabrication strategy for producing micropatterned substrates composed of glass and the amorphous polymer Teflon®  AF. Cell protrusions growing from HEK 293 cells on these substrates were confined to extend on 2 μm wide glass lanes, intersected by Teflon®  AF microgaps of various lengths between 2 and 16 μm. After 24 hours of incubation, the frequency of cell protrusions crossing the gap was found to be strongly dependent on the gap size. Gaps which are greater than 4 μm were found to be increasingly difficult to cross. Cell extensions crossing the microgaps either appeared as nanosized connections, in approximately 30% of all observed cases, or as microsized connections. Molecular transport in the established cell-to-cell connection across the microgap was investigated by activation of TRPM8 ion channels followed by supply of Ca2+ to one of the connected cells. The diffusion of the Ca2+ ions was visualized by means of a cell-permeant pre-fluorescent dye. We observed both open- and closed-ended intercellular connections in both nano- and microsized cell protrusions

Tunable generation of Bessel beams with a fluidic axicon

This paper describes a tunable fluidic conical lens, or axicon, for the generation and dynamic reconfiguration of Bessel beams. When illuminated with a Gaussian laser beam, our fluidic axicon generates a diverging beam with an annular cross section. By varying the refractive index of the solution that fills our device, we can vary easily the spatial properties of the resulting Bessel beam

Membrane protrusion coarsening and nanotubulation within giant unilamellar vesicles

Hydrophobic side groups on a stimuli-responsive polymer, encapsulated within a single giant unilamellar vesicle, enable membrane attachment during compartment formation at elevated temperatures. We thermally modulated the vesicle through implementation of an IR laser via an optical fiber, enabling localized directed heating. Polymer-membrane interactions were monitored using confocal imaging techniques as subsequent membrane protrusions occurred and lipid nanotubes formed in response to the polymer hydrogel contraction. These nanotubes, bridging the vesicle membrane to the contracting hydrogel, were retained on the surface of the polymer compartment, where they were transformed into smaller vesicles in a process reminiscent of cellular endocytosis. This development of a synthetic vesicle system containing a stimuli-responsive polymer could lead to a new platform for studying inter/intramembrane transport through lipid nanotubes