Cell Motility

This interdisciplinary seminar covers the molecular and physical basis of cell motility, which like cell division is one of the most central processes in biological systems. We offer this course to advanced bachelor and beginning master students. It is open to students of both physics and biology. We will discuss the subjects and organization in the preparatory meeting on October 20 2021 at 4 pm, where we will also fix the blocks in which we will meet. We will decide in due time if we can meet in presence or have to meet virtually.

The seminar is divided into two blocks: swimming in fluids and surface-attached motility. Swimming cells are divided again into two classes, namely swimming with a rotating flagellum (bacteria like E. Coli) or swimming with a beating flagellum (sperm, trypanosomes). Surface-attached motility is also divided into two classes, namely crawling (e.g. keratocytes, white blood cells, amoebae, cancer cells) and gliding (e.g. myxobacteria or malaria parasites). In each case, we will discuss the experimental evidence (mainly optical microscopy), the molecular basis (e.g. actin networks for crawling) and the physical limitations (e.g. force generation, dissipation, speed limits). On the theory side, we will cover e.g. resistive force theory for swimming and active gels theory for crawling.