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Initiation of growth inhibition by TGF beta 1 is unlikely to occur in G1.

Type beta transforming growth factors represent a family of polypeptides that modulate growth and differentiation. They exert their effect on target cells through interaction with multiple cell surface receptors. Transforming growth factor-beta 1 has a strong inhibitory action on cell division in mink lung CC164 cells, a process that is initiated by immediate induction of junB and phosphorylation of nuclear protein followed by a reduced expression of cdk4. However, its signal transduction pathways are still unresolved. In this study we report a detailed analysis of cell kinetic events following addition of transforming growth factor-beta 1 to mink lung CCL64 cells. We show that transforming growth factor-beta 1 reduces [3H]thymidine incorporation after a delay of 8 hours, which reaches its nadir at 16 hours. The reduced growth rate is maintained for at least 48 hours as shown by flow cytometric analysis of DNA content. Using time-lapse video microscopy it was shown that control cells double on average every 14.4 hours, whereas the transforming growth factor-beta 1-treated cells have a doubling time of on average 20.3 hours. The difference in intermitotic time is a consequence of a prolonged G1 phase (a shift from 7.5 to 13.5 hours on average). However, changes in intermitotic times occur only after cells have undergone division in the presence of transforming growth factor-beta 1 and treated cells finish the ongoing cell cycle exactly like control cells. From these findings we conclude that transforming growth factor-beta 1 may change cell cycle parameters by interfering with cellular events prior to G1.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗

Interleukin-8 induces motile behavior and loss of focal adhesions in primary fibroblasts.

Interleukin-8 (IL-8) is a proinflammatory cytokine that promotes neutrophil migration. Although fibroblasts are known to secrete IL-8, the actions of this cytokine on fibroblasts have not been previously reported. We have found that in subconfluent populations of cultured primary fibroblasts, IL-8 causes an increase in the percentage of cells lacking focal adhesions. Most of the IL-8-stimulated cells not only exhibit a lack of focal adhesions but also have a migratory phenotype that includes a protrusive leading edge and trailing tail. In addition, IL-8 was found to promote primary fibroblast chemotaxis in modified Boyden chambers as well as chemokinesis on serum-coated coverslips. Human primary fibroblasts were also found to specifically bind to IL-8 with high affinity. We have previously shown that a lack of focal structures in primary fibroblasts can be used as an index of chemokinetic locomotion and have fully characterized this system using newborn rat heart conditioned medium. The main stimulus in heart conditioned medium that is responsible for the lack of focal adhesions in the majority of cells can be immunoprecipitated using a polyclonal antibody against recombinant human IL-8. Additionally, video microscopy assays using heart conditioned medium depleted with the IL-8 antibody show an increase in the percentage of stationary cells, a consequent decrease in the percentage of migrating cells, and a twofold increase in the mitotic rate. Interleukin-1 alpha and tumor necrosis factor-alpha, which are early inflammatory cytokines, have been previously shown to stimulate IL-8 production in macrophages, fibroblasts, endothelial and epithelial cells. Our findings indicate that these two cytokines also cause an increase in the percentage of fibroblasts without focal adhesions. Additionally, this increase in cells lacking focal structures can be largely attributed to the production and subsequent autocrine action of a factor immunoprecipitated with an IL-8 antibody. Conversely, GRO-alpha, which has a high homology with IL-8, does not cause a similar increase in the percentage of cells lacking focal adhesions, but was not antagonistic to the effects of IL-8.

Animals↗

Invasion of Toxoplasma gondii occurs by active penetration of the host cell.

Toxoplasma gondii is an obligate intracellular parasite that infects a wide variety of vertebrate cells including macrophages. We have used a combination of video microscopy and fluorescence localization to examine the entry of Toxoplasma into macrophages and nonphagocytic host cells. Toxoplasma actively invaded host cells without inducing host cell membrane ruffling, actin microfilament reorganization, or tyrosine phosphorylation of host proteins. Invasion occurred rapidly and within 25-40 seconds the parasite penetrated into a tight-fitting vacuole formed by invagination of the plasma membrane. In contrast, during phagocytosis of Toxoplasma, extensive membrane ruffling captured the parasite in a loose-fitting phagosome that formed over a period of 2-4 minutes. Phagocytosis involved both reorganization of the host cytoskeleton and tyrosine phosphorylation of host proteins. In some cases, parasites that were first internalized by phagocytosis, were able to escape from the phagosome by a process analogous to invasion. These studies reveal that active penetration of the host cell by Toxoplasma is fundamentally different from phagocytosis or induced endocytic uptake. The novel ability to penetrate the host cell likely contributes to the capability of Toxoplasma-containing vacuoles to avoid endocytic processing.

Animals↗

Cell death of AKR-2B fibroblasts after serum removal: a process between apoptosis and necrosis.

AKR-2B cells disintegrate after serum removal. After a delay of approximately 90 minutes, cell death began and reached after six hours a plateau of 40-50% remaining living cells. We used time-lapse video microscopy to monitor dynamic structural changes and to measure the time span of individual cells to die. The first change was the rapid appearance of membrane blebs. Membrane vesicles were rapidly extruded and reintegrated by the cell. This highly dynamic process of an affected cell stopped after 80+/-20 minutes with its death. Conductivity measurements showed that at that time the membrane was electrically permeable. By using fluorescence double staining with propidium iodide and Hoechst 33258, we show that membrane leakage leading to disintegration is accompanied, and for some cells preceded, by nuclear condensation. The energy state of the intact cells was monitored by measuring the intracellular ATP content which remained high (6 mM) throughout the entire time of investigation. Mitochondrial potential was determined by rhodamine 123 fluorescence in parallel to the measurement of membrane permeability via uptake of propidium iodide and lead to the detection of a cell population that exhibits a high mitochondrial potential and an uptake of propidium iodide indicating a membrane disruption of cells which still have a high energy charge. It is shown by electron microscopy that mitochondria were swollen and damaged in parallel to nuclear condensation. There was no DNA fragmentation as shown by two independent methods. Addition of the ICE-like protease inhibitor tyr-val-ala-asp-chloromethylketone immediately after serum starvation lead to an almost complete survival of the cells up to 6 hours. A pronounced protection was still observed after 24 hours, suggesting an involvement of this type of protease in the onset of cell death after serum removal. Apparently, serum withdrawal activates a succession of initial events that are similar to those defined as 'apoptosis', i.e. nuclear condensation and membrane blebbing. These steps are, however, accompanied or rapidly followed by cell lysis and disruption of mitochondria, both of which are characteristic of necrosis.

Adenine Nucleotides↗

The actin-myosin cytoskeleton mediates reversible agonist-induced membrane blebbing.

Suprastimulation of pancreatic acinar cells with specific agonists inhibits zymogen secretion and induces the formation of large basolateral blebs. Currently the molecular mechanisms that mediate this dramatic morphologic response are undefined. Further, it is unclear if blebbing represents a terminal or reversible event. Using computer-enhanced video microscopy of living acini we have found that these large blebs form rapidly (within 2-3 minutes) and exhibit ameboid undulations. They are induced by small increases in agonist concentration and require an energy-dependent phosphorylation event. Remarkably, the blebs are rapidly absorbed when agonist levels are reduced, indicating that blebbing is a reversible response to a physiological stimulus, not a terminal event. Morphological methods show that these dramatic changes in cell shape are accompanied by a marked reorganization of actin and myosin II at the basolateral domain. During 30 minutes of suprastimulation, both basolateral actin and myosin II gradually increase to form a ring centered at the necks of the blebs. Immunocytochemical and biochemical studies with a phospho-specific antibody to the myosin regulatory light chain reveal an activation of myosin II in suprastimulated acini that is completely absent in resting cells. Studies using cytoskeletal antagonistic drugs indicate that bleb formation and motility require actin remodeling concomitant with an activation of myosin II. This aberrant activation and reorganization of the actin-myosin cytoskeleton is likely to have detrimental effects on acinar cell function. Additionally, this mechanism of bleb formation may be conserved among other forms of physiological blebbing events.

Actins↗

Dual-color visualization of trans-Golgi network to plasma membrane traffic along microtubules in living cells.

The mechanisms and carriers responsible for exocytic protein trafficking between the trans-Golgi network (TGN) and the plasma membrane remain unclear. To investigate the dynamics of TGN-to-plasma membrane traffic and role of the cytoskeleton in these processes we transfected cells with a GFP-fusion protein, vesicular stomatitis virus G protein tagged with GFP (VSVG3-GFP). After using temperature shifts to block VSVG3-GFP in the endoplasmic reticulum and subsequently accumulate it in the TGN, dynamics of TGN-to-plasma membrane transport were visualized in real time by confocal and video microscopy. Both small vesicles (<250 nm) and larger vesicular-tubular structures (>1.5 microm long) are used as transport containers (TCs). These TCs rapidly moved out of the Golgi along curvilinear paths with average speeds of approximately 0.7 micrometer/second. Automatic computer tracking objectively determined the dynamics of different carriers. Fission and fusion of TCs were observed, suggesting that these late exocytic processes are highly interactive. To directly determine the role of microtubules in post-Golgi traffic, rhodamine-tubulin was microinjected and both labeled cargo and microtubules were simultaneously visualized in living cells. These studies demonstrated that exocytic cargo moves along microtubule tracks and reveals that carriers are capable of switching between tracks.

Animals↗

NrCAM, cerebellar granule cell receptor for the neuronal adhesion molecule F3, displays an actin-dependent mobility in growth cones.

The neuronal adhesion glycoprotein F3 is a multifunctional molecule of the immunoglobulin superfamily that displays heterophilic binding activities. In the present study, NrCAM was identified as the functional receptor mediating the inhibitory effect of F3 on axonal elongation from cerebellar granule cells. F3Fc-conjugated microspheres binding to neuronal growth cones resulted from heterophilic interaction with NrCAM but not with L1. Time-lapse video-microscopy indicated that F3Fc beads bind at the leading edge and move retrogradely to reach the base of the growth cone within a lapse of 30-60 seconds. Such velocity (5.7 microm/minute) is consistent with a coupling between F3 receptors and the retrograde flow of actin filaments. When actin filaments were disrupted by cytochalasin B, the F3Fc beads remained immobile at the leading edge. The retrograde mobility appeared to be dependent on NrCAM clustering since it was induced upon binding with cross-linked but not dimeric F3Fc chimera. These data indicate that F3 may control growth cone motility by modulating the linkage of its receptor, NrCAM, to the cytoskeleton. They provide further insights into the mechanisms by which GPI-anchored adhesion molecules may exert an inhibitory effect on axonal elongation.

Actins↗

Endosome fusion in living cells overexpressing GFP-rab5.

CHO and BHK cells which overexpress either wild-type rab5 or rab5:Q79L, a constitutively active rab5 mutant, develop enlarged cytoplasmic vesicles that exhibit many characteristics of early endosomes including immunoreactivity for rab5 and transferrin receptor. Time-lapse video microscopy shows the enlarged endosomes arise primarily by fusion of smaller vesicles. These fusion events occur mostly by a 'bridge' fusion mechanism in which the initial opening between vesicles does not expand; instead, membrane flows slowly and continuously from the smaller to the larger endosome in the fusing pair, through a narrow, barely perceptible membranous 'bridge' between them. The unique aspect of rab5 mediated 'bridge' fusion is the persistence of a tight constriction at the site where vesicles merge and we hypothesize that this constriction results from the relatively slow disassembly of a putative docking/fusion complex. To determine the relation of rab5 to the fusion 'bridge', we used confocal fluorescence microscopy to monitor endosome fusion in cells overexpressing GFP-rab5 fusion proteins. Vesicle docking in these cells is accompanied by recruitment of the GFP-rab5 into a brightly fluorescent spot in the 'bridge' region between fusing vesicles that persists throughout the entire length of the fusion event and which often persist for minutes following endosome fusion. Other endosomal membrane markers, including FM4-64, are not concentrated in fusion 'bridges'. These results support the idea that the GFP-rab5 spots represent the localized accumulation of GFP-rab5 between fusing endosomes and not simply overlap of adjacent membranes. The idea that the GFP-rab5 spots do not represent membrane overlap is further supported by experiments using photobleaching techniques and confocal imaging which show that GFP-rab5 localized in spots between fusion couplets is resistant to diffusion while GFP-rab5 on endosomal membranes away from these spots rapidly diffuses with a rate constant of about 1.0 (+/-0.3) x10(-)(9)cm(2)/second.

Animals↗

Locomotory behaviour of epitheliocytes and fibroblasts on metallic grids.

Behaviour of epitheliocytes and fibroblasts on special discontinuous substrata (metallic grids with square openings of 45x45 microm2) was examined in order to compare the ability of these cells to spread in two mutually perpendicular directions and to stretch over the void spaces. Two cell types with typical fibroblastic morphology, the AGO 1523 line of human foreskin fibroblasts and secondary cultures of mouse embryo fibroblasts, and three cell types with typical epithelial morphology, primary mouse hepatocytes, the IAR-2 line of rat liver cells and the MDCK line of canine kidney epithelial cells (clone 20) were used. We also examined the epitheliocytes (MDCK cells, clone 20) transformed to fibroblast-like morphology by treatment with hepatocyte growth factor/scatter factor (HGF/SF). Time-lapse video microscopy, scanning electron microscopy and immunofluorescence microscopy were used to examine cell reorganizations at various stages of spreading. It was found that early stages of spreading of fibroblasts and epitheliocytes were similar: the cell spread along two bars, perpendicular to each other (bar and crossbar), with the formation of a small triangular lamellar cytoplasm stretched over the opening. Later central parts of the bodies of the fibroblasts retracted from the bars so that the cells remained attached only by their polar lamellae. Successive expansions and partial retractions of these lamellae led to elongation of the cell body crossing several openings of the grid. Epitheliocytes, in contrast to fibroblasts, at the late stages of spreading did not retract their bodies and did not contract polar lamellae. As a result, their central lamellae stretched progressively over the openings. As a result of the treatment of MDCK epitheliocytes with HGF/SF the behaviour of the cells on the grids became similar to that of fibroblasts. It is suggested that these distinct spreading patterns of epitheliocytes and fibroblasts are due to the type-specific differences in the actin-myosin cortex. Experiments with microtubule-specific drugs, colcemid and taxol, indicate that the organization of this cortex is under microtubular control.

Actin Cytoskeleton↗

Nerve growth factor stimulates coupling of beta1 integrin to distinct transport mechanisms in the filopodia of growth cones.

The cycling of membrane receptors for substrate-bound proteins via their interaction with the actin cytoskeleton at the leading edge of growth cones and other motile cells is important for neurite outgrowth and cell migration. Receptor delivered to the leading edge binds to its ligand, which induces coupling of the receptor to a rearward flowing network of actin filaments. This coupling is thought to facilitate advance. We show here that a soluble growth factor stimulates this cycling. We have used single particle tracking to monitor the effects of nerve growth factor (NGF) on the movements of beta1 integrin in the plane of the plasma membrane of the filopodia of growth cones. Beta1 integrin was visualized by its binding of 0.2 microm beads coated with a monoclonal Ab directed against an extracellular epitope distant from the binding site for extracellular matrix ligands. The beads were observed by video microscopy. Beads coated with a low concentration of antibody, and therefore bound to unliganded receptor with little cross-linking, showed an increase in both diffusion and directed forward transport in response to NGF. Transport had a net velocity of 37 microm/minute and was characterized by brief periods of sustained forward excursions with a velocity of 75-150 microm/minute. There was a 2-fold increase in the number of beads accumulated at the tips of filopodia after 10 minutes, indicating that NGF enhanced the delivery of beta1 integrin to the periphery. Forward transport was dependent on an intact actin cytoskeleton and myosin ATPase, since treatment with cytochalasin D or the myosin ATPase inhibitor butanedione monoxime inhibited the transport but not the diffusion of receptors. NGF also greatly increased the steady rearward migration of beads coated with a high density of (&bgr;)1 integrin antibody, indicating that coupling of cross-linked receptor to the retrograde flow of actin is also enhanced. The rate of the retrograde flow of actin was unaffected by NGF. These studies show that a soluble factor can stimulate the coupling of a receptor for substrate-bound factor to two actomyosin-based transport mechanisms and thus facilitate the response of the growth cone to the substrate-bound factor by increasing cycling of the receptor at the periphery.

Actins↗

A chemotactic response facilitates mosquito salivary gland infection by malaria sporozoites.

Sporozoite invasion of mosquito salivary glands is critical for malaria transmission to vertebrate hosts. After release into the mosquito hemocoel, the means by which malaria sporozoites locate the salivary glands is unknown. We developed a Matrigel-based in vitro system to observe and analyze the motility of GFP-expressing Plasmodium berghei sporozoites in the presence of salivary gland products of Anopheles stephensi mosquitoes using temperature-controlled, low-light-level video microscopy. Sporozoites moved toward unheated salivary gland homogenate (SGH) but not to SGH that had been heated at 56 degrees C for 30 min. We also investigated the origin of the attracted population. Attraction to SGH was restricted to hemolymph- and oocyst-derived sporozoites; salivary gland-derived sporozoites were not attracted to SGH. These data imply that sporozoites employ a chemotactic response to high molecular mass proteins or carbohydrate-binding proteins to locate salivary glands. This raises the possibility of utilizing anti-chemotactic factors for the development of mosquito transmission blocking agents.

Animals↗

In vivo length oscillations of indirect flight muscles in the fruit fly Drosophila virilis.

We have used high-speed video microscopy to measure in vivo length oscillations of the indirect flight muscles of the fruit fly Drosophila virilis during tethered flight. The changes in muscle strain were measured by tracking the deformation of the thoracic exoskeleton at the origin and insertion of both the dorsal longitudinal (DLM) and the dorsal ventral (DVM) muscles. The mean peak-to-peak strain amplitudes were found to be 3.5% for the DLMs and 3.3% for the DVMs, although the strain amplitude within individual cycles ranged from 2 to 5%. These values are consistent with the small number of previous measurements of indirect flight muscle strain in other insects, but almost an order of magnitude greater than the strain amplitudes used in most biophysical studies of skinned Drosophila fibers. The results suggest that serial compliance within this sarcomere would need to relieve approximately 70% of the total strain in order for individual crossbridges to remain attached throughout a complete contraction-extension cycle.

Animals↗

Isolation and phenotypic characterization of Chlamydomonas mutants defective in cytokinesis.

Two genetically independent Chlamydomonas mutants, oca1 and oca2, that display abnormal cell division were isolated by DNA insertional mutagenesis. The culture of these mutants contained large abnormally-shaped cells with multiple pairs of flagella. DAPI staining showed that those aberrant cells carried the same number of nuclei as that of flagella pairs. Time-lapse video microscopy revealed the following characteristics of the cell division process in the mutants: i) although the mutants, like wild-type cells, had a potential to divide into eight daughter cells by successive three rounds of division cycle, they frequently failed to cleave and formed a fused cell in the course of division; ii) a cell often grew into an extremely large cell with many pairs of flagella; iii) the large cell was suddenly divided into a number of daughter cells by simultaneously forming multiple cleavage furrows; iv) alternatively, an extremely large cell stopped dividing although many cleavage furrows were formed on its surface. These observations suggest that these mutants are partially deficient in the progression of furrowing, and that Chlamydomonas is capable of undergoing cytokinesis between many pairs of nuclei simultaneously, as in the cellularization process of insect eggs.

Animals↗

Wortmannin inhibits spreading and chemotaxis of rat osteoclasts in vitro.

Wortmannin (WT) and 17beta-hydroxywortmannin (HWT), which are inhibitors of phosphatidylinositol-3(OH)-kinase (PI3K), have been shown previously to inhibit bone resorption in vitro and in vivo, possibly by interfering with formation of the osteoclast ruffled border. Since migration of osteoclasts also plays an important role in the process of bone resorption, we investigated the effects of these inhibitors on osteoclast morphology and motility. Both HWT and WT caused a sustained decrease in the planar area of osteoclasts in vitro (half maximal effect at 25 and 165 nM, respectively), with the effect of HWT on cell area more readily reversible than WT. These agents also caused accumulation of intracellular vesicles. Time-lapse video microscopy was used to record the migration of osteoclasts in response to macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF) or vehicle, flowing passively from a micropipette positioned 200-400 microm from the cell. M-CSF caused directed migration of osteoclasts, indicating chemotaxis (over 3 h osteoclasts migrated 96 +/- 14 microm in response to M-CSF vs. 11 +/- 2 microm in control experiments). Both WT (100 or 500 nM) and LY294002 (100 microM), a specific PI3K inhibitor structurally unrelated to WT, significantly inhibited osteoclast chemotaxis in response to M-CSF. Taken together, these effects of WT, HWT, and LY294002 are consistent with an important role for PI3K in regulating cytoskeletal function in osteoclasts. The inhibitory effects of WT and HWT on bone resorption may be due, in part, to impairment of osteoclast motility.

Androstadienes↗

Transforming growth factor-beta induces osteoclast ruffling and chemotaxis: potential role in osteoclast recruitment.

Transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) is released from the matrix during bone resorption and has been implicated in the pathogenesis of giant cell tumors of bone and the expansion of breast cancer metastases in bone. Because osteoclasts mediate tumor-induced osteolysis, we investigated whether TGF-beta stimulates osteoclast recruitment. Osteoclasts were isolated from rat long bones and time-lapse video microscopy was used to monitor their morphology and motility. Within 5 minutes, TGF-beta (0.1 nM) induced dynamic ruffling, with 65% of osteoclasts displaying membrane ruffles compared with 35% in untreated controls. Over a 2-h period, osteoclasts exhibited significant directed migration toward a source of TGF-beta, indicating chemotaxis. echistatin, an alphavbeta3 integrin blocker that inhibits macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF)-induced osteoclast migration, did not prevent the migration of osteoclasts toward TGF-beta. In contrast, a beta1 integrin blocking antibody inhibited osteoclast chemotaxis toward TGF-beta but not M-CSF. These data indicate the selective use of integrins by osteoclasts migrating in response to different chemotaxins. In addition, wortmannin and U0126 inhibited TGF-beta-induced chemotaxis, suggesting involvement of the phosphatidylinositol 3 (PI 3) kinase and mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase signaling pathways. Physiologically, TGF-beta, may coordinate osteoclast activity by recruiting osteoclasts to existing sites of resorption. Pathologically, TGF-beta-induced osteoclast recruitment may be critical for expansion of primary and metastatic tumors in bone.

Androstadienes↗

Alpha-actinin-4-mediated FSGS: an inherited kidney disease caused by an aggregated and rapidly degraded cytoskeletal protein.

Focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) is a common pattern of renal injury, seen as both a primary disorder and as a consequence of underlying insults such as diabetes, HIV infection, and hypertension. Point mutations in the alpha-actinin-4 gene ACTN4 cause an autosomal dominant form of human FSGS. We characterized the biological effect of these mutations by biochemical assays, cell-based studies, and the development of a new mouse model. We found that a fraction of the mutant protein forms large aggregates with a high sedimentation coefficient. Localization of mutant alpha-actinin-4 in transfected and injected cells, as well as in situ glomeruli, showed aggregates of the mutant protein. Video microscopy showed the mutant alpha-actinin-4 to be markedly less dynamic than the wild-type protein. We developed a "knockin" mouse model by replacing Actn4 with a copy of the gene bearing an FSGS-associated point mutation. We used cells from these mice to show increased degradation of mutant alpha-actinin-4, mediated, at least in part, by the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway. We correlate these findings with studies of alpha-actinin-4 expression in human samples. "Knockin" mice with a disease-associated Actn4 mutation develop a phenotype similar to that observed in humans. Comparison of the phenotype in wild-type, heterozygous, and homozygous Actn4 "knockin" and "knockout" mice, together with our in vitro data, suggests that the phenotypes in mice and humans involve both gain-of-function and loss-of-function mechanisms.

Actinin↗

Static and dynamic errors in particle tracking microrheology.

Particle tracking techniques are often used to assess the local mechanical properties of cells and biological fluids. The extracted trajectories are exploited to compute the mean-squared displacement that characterizes the dynamics of the probe particles. Limited spatial resolution and statistical uncertainty are the limiting factors that alter the accuracy of the mean-squared displacement estimation. We precisely quantified the effect of localization errors in the determination of the mean-squared displacement by separating the sources of these errors into two separate contributions. A "static error" arises in the position measurements of immobilized particles. A "dynamic error" comes from the particle motion during the finite exposure time that is required for visualization. We calculated the propagation of these errors on the mean-squared displacement. We examined the impact of our error analysis on theoretical model fluids used in biorheology. These theoretical predictions were verified for purely viscous fluids using simulations and a multiple-particle tracking technique performed with video microscopy. We showed that the static contribution can be confidently corrected in dynamics studies by using static experiments performed at a similar noise-to-signal ratio. This groundwork allowed us to achieve higher resolution in the mean-squared displacement, and thus to increase the accuracy of microrheology studies.

Algorithms↗

Diffusing colloidal probes of protein and synthetic macromolecule interactions.

A new approach is described for measuring kT and nanometer scale protein-protein and protein-synthetic macromolecule interactions. The utility of this method is demonstrated by measuring interactions of bovine serum albumin (BSA) and copolymers with exposed polyethyleneoxide (PEO) moieties adsorbed to hydrophobically modified colloids and surfaces. Total internal reflection and video microscopy are used to track three-dimensional trajectories of many single diffusing colloids that are analyzed to yield interaction potentials, mean-square displacements, and colloid-surface association lifetimes. A criterion is developed to identify colloids as being levitated, associated, or deposited based on energetic, spatial, statistical, and temporal information. Whereas levitation and deposition occur for strongly repulsive or attractive potentials, association is exponentially sensitive to weak interactions influenced by adsorbed layer architectures and surface heterogeneity. Systematic experiments reveal how BSA orientation and PEO molecular weight produce adsorbed layers that either conceal or expose substrate heterogeneities to generate a continuum of colloid-surface association lifetimes. These measurements provide simultaneous access to a broad range of information that consistently indicates purely repulsive BSA and PEO interactions and a role for surface heterogeneity in colloid-surface association. The demonstrated capability to measure nonspecific protein interactions provides a basis for future measurements of specific protein interactions.

Colloids↗