Dissertation
Amoeboid cell migration and physicochemical properties of the extracellular environment
This dissertation aims to advance understanding of amoeboid single cell migration under the influence of changing physicochemical environmental properties. The particular focus is on the relatively unknown influence of differing physical properties in the extracellular environment, such as the migratory response to changes in confinement and availability of space (topotaxis) or to locally varying material properties like stiffness (durotaxis) and deformability.
- Author
- A.J. Wondergem
- Date
- 31 October 2024
- Links
- Thesis in Leiden Repository
The experiments discussed in this dissertation are performed in especially designed in vitro cell migration assays, that provide the necessary control over the chemical and physical stimuli presented to the cells. Although experiments are performed outside natural cell environments, where possible, certain stimuli are combined to asses the relevance of one cell guidance cue to another. The cell lines used to asses the influence of various physicochemical properties vary from simple unicellular organisms like amoeba, often used to model movement of more complex metazoan cells, to human cancer cell lines that employ the same amoeboid movement to invade tissue.