Reconstitution of active cytoskeletal vesicles. The active cytoskeleton (green)exerts forces to the surrounding lipid membrane - Image: Etienne Loiseau / TUM
Living cells must alter their external form actively, otherwise functions like cell division would not be possible. At the Technical University of Munich (TUM) the biophysicist Professor Andreas Bausch and his team have developed a synthetic cell model to investigate the fundamental principles of the underlying cellular mechanics. Living cells do not lead a relaxed life: They are perpetually busy adapting their physical shape. When they divide, cells must massively restructure their overall form. When they absorb material, their outer membrane must deform strongly. And when they move about, they must first decide what is front and what is back before their built-in molecular motors kick in, setting the cell into motion. Cells are living organisms with all kinds of dynamic functions.
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