This event is discussion workshop. We have invited 6 experts to discuss their work in an informal lecture setting, discussion and demonstration groups, one2one sessions and panel discussions
Meeting Chair: Dr. Rainer Heintzmann, Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena, Germany
This event has CPD accreditation
On registration please submit your questions to the panel that will be asked by the chair on the day of the event
9:00 – 9:30 Registration
9:30 – 9:45 Introduction by the Chair: Dr Rainer Heintzmann
Institute of Physical Chemistry, Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena, Germany
Talks by Invited Experts:
9:45 – 10:00 Imaging Cell Adhesions in 3D Matrices
Dr Maddy Parsons
Kings College London, UK
Cell migration is a vital process involved in normal human development, wound healing and inflammatory responses. However, many pathological states such as cancer metastasis, developmental defects and healing abnormalities are as a result of a dysregulation in the control of cell motility. Research in our lab is directed towards understanding the molecular mechanisms that regulate adhesion, polarisation and migration in adherent cells in a number of different contexts. We use a number of state-of-the-art microscopy techniques to tackle these fundamental questions, and to allow us to analyse protein dynamics and interactions within intact cells in 3D environments. Unravelling the complex process of converting signals from the extracellular environment to drive changes in cell migration is important to understanding the basis of many different diseases.
10:00 – 10:15 Imaging Cellular Invasion: Role of the Cell Surface Collagen Degrading Enzyme
Dr Yoshifumi Itoh
Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology, Imperial College London, UK
ECM plays a major role to maintain the architecture of tissues, to provide survival signals and differentiation signals to cells, to provide growth factor pools and scaffoldings for migration. On the other hand, ECM is also a physical barrier for migrating cells in tissues and needs to be degraded in order for cells to migrate through. Because cells require ECM as scaffolding, degradation of the barrier ECM needs to occur specifically at the direction of the migration. To degrade ECM barrier, cells utilise proteinases, and one of the plasma membrane-bound metalloproteinase, membrane-type 1 matrix metalloproteinase (MT1-MMP) is thought to be a critical enzyme for this process. MT1-MMP is regulated at the multiple steps, but homodimerization is an essential step to degrade collagen on the cell surface. By imaging this dimerization event in live cells using fluorescence resonance energy trasnfer, we found that MT1-MMP activity is regulated spatiotemporal manner during invasion.
10:15 – 10:30 In vivo Imaging of Cell Migration in Zebrafish
Dr Jana Koth
King’s College London
Zebrafish are ideally suited for imaging cell migration in the living organism (in vivo). Their embryos and larvae are small, transparent, develop at room temperature without the need of special climate chambers and offer a wide range of genetic tools. In this talk, different examples of imaging migrating cell populations in zebrafish will be introduced and technical advice on in vivo imaging will be given. Furthermore, current challenges and limitations of in vivo imaging of cell migration in zebrafish will be discussed.
10:30 – 10:45 Image Analysis in 2 and 3D
Dr Ann Wheeler
Blizard Institute of Cell and Molecular Science, UK
Quantification of cell migration is an essential part of the cell biologist’s toolbox. In this talk the theoretical and practical aspects of cell migration will be discussed using Macrophage migration as an example. Different techniques from use of transwell plates to imaging migration in animals will be discussed. How to use some of the image analysis tools which are available for analysing migration will be demonstrated and there will be a discussion of necessary assumptions that need to be made to quantify cell migration.
10:45 – 11:00 TBC
Expert TBC
11:00 – 11:15 TBC
Expert TBC
11:15 – 11:20 Participant Photo
11:20 – 11:45 Mid-morning Break