Emma Hunt, UT-Austin

"Characterizing Biological Filaments in Networks"

Abstract: Filaments of various length scales and rigidities bundle and cross-link to form complex networks within and around cells. These networks provide structural support to cells and are integral to numerous biological processes, including motion, cell division and intracellular transport. I am interested in characterizing the distribution of stress in these networks. Various existing microscopy techniques are capable of visualizing such filament networks with the necessary resolution. However, visualizing them with sufficient spatial resolution as well as characterizing their dynamics with sufficient temporal resolution, without disturbing their dynamics, presents significant challenges. We overcome these obstacles with photonic force microscopy, which utilizes a quadrant photodiode to detect the interference pattern between un-scattered light and light scattered by the filament network. In this talk I will demonstrate the use of power spectral analysis to distinguish linked from unlinked filament crossings as well as the ability to identify load-bearing filaments.