Event Title
Rearrangement of Cell-Cell Junctions in Metastatic Cells
Location
CSU Ballroom
Start Date
10-4-2018 10:00 AM
End Date
10-4-2018 11:30 AM
Student's Major
Biological Sciences
Student's College
Science, Engineering and Technology
Mentor's Name
Marilyn Hart
Mentor's Department
Biological Sciences
Mentor's College
Science, Engineering and Technology
Description
Actin is a component of the cytoskeleton found in all eukaryotic cells. Actin plays a role in cell mobility, cell shape, division of daughter cells during mitosis, and the stabilization of structures such as striated muscle. Actin is a filament composed of monomers whose assembly and disassembly are mediated by a variety of accessory proteins, such as actin capping protein (CP). CP binds the fast-growing barbed end of the actin filament, preventing subsequent monomer loss and addition. Cancer cells are characterized by uncontrolled growth and the ability to metastasize. In other words, the cancerous cells disengage from neighboring cells, change cell shape, and acquire the ability to invade other tissues. In our current study, we are studying the role of CP in the reorganization of cell-cell junctions in cancer cells (HeLa). We examined the disengagement of cancerous cells, comparing cell-cell junctions of both normal and cancerous cells. Contact structure and actin reorganization was evaluated using fluorescent and scanning electron microscopy. We initially examined a fast, easy growing glial cell line to optimize the experimental conditions including fixative and phalloidin concentration. Western blot analysis confirmed the specificity of CP antibodies, which were subsequently used in immunofluorescent studies. Conjugated fluorescent phalloidin was used to stain actin filaments, and CP specific antibodies were used to visualize the regions of cell contact in both HeLa cells and wild type cells. Results suggest that CP plays a role in the reorganization of cell-cell junctions in metastatic cells.
Rearrangement of Cell-Cell Junctions in Metastatic Cells
CSU Ballroom
Actin is a component of the cytoskeleton found in all eukaryotic cells. Actin plays a role in cell mobility, cell shape, division of daughter cells during mitosis, and the stabilization of structures such as striated muscle. Actin is a filament composed of monomers whose assembly and disassembly are mediated by a variety of accessory proteins, such as actin capping protein (CP). CP binds the fast-growing barbed end of the actin filament, preventing subsequent monomer loss and addition. Cancer cells are characterized by uncontrolled growth and the ability to metastasize. In other words, the cancerous cells disengage from neighboring cells, change cell shape, and acquire the ability to invade other tissues. In our current study, we are studying the role of CP in the reorganization of cell-cell junctions in cancer cells (HeLa). We examined the disengagement of cancerous cells, comparing cell-cell junctions of both normal and cancerous cells. Contact structure and actin reorganization was evaluated using fluorescent and scanning electron microscopy. We initially examined a fast, easy growing glial cell line to optimize the experimental conditions including fixative and phalloidin concentration. Western blot analysis confirmed the specificity of CP antibodies, which were subsequently used in immunofluorescent studies. Conjugated fluorescent phalloidin was used to stain actin filaments, and CP specific antibodies were used to visualize the regions of cell contact in both HeLa cells and wild type cells. Results suggest that CP plays a role in the reorganization of cell-cell junctions in metastatic cells.
Recommended Citation
Wolff, Mahala and Lauryn Hardt. "Rearrangement of Cell-Cell Junctions in Metastatic Cells." Undergraduate Research Symposium, Mankato, MN, April 10, 2018.
https://cornerstone.lib.mnsu.edu/urs/2018/poster-session-A/22
