Cell Surface as an Active Composite - local control of forces and composition with functional implications

Barcelona Sala Eduard Fontsere, Facultat de Fisica 11/01/2018
Cell Surface as an Active Composite - local control of forces and composition with
functional implications
Speaker Madan Rao, Simons Center for the Study of Living Machines, NCBS, Bangalore (India)
Date and time 11/01/2018, 12:00h
Venue Sala Eduard Fontserè, Universitat de Física
Organizer Jaume Casademunt, Departament de Física de la Matèria Condensada
Abstract
Over the years we and others have shown that the physical organization and dynamics of
many signaling molecules at the cell surface are locally controlled by their coupling to the thin
cortical actomyosin layer, which actively drives local cell membrane composition and shape.
In many cases, this organisation involves a collaboration with specific lipids on the cell surface.
While this active organisation occurs constitutively, it gets locally amplified by external cues. I
will discuss our current understanding in terms of both theory and experiments. Towards the
end, I hope to be able to discuss possible functional implications of such a local active control