Abstract
Spectrins form a mechanically deformable skeleton that lies directly below the membrane. Although it has been studied in erythrocytes, little is known about its function in other cell types. This project aims to quantitatively understand the Spectrin skeleton function in regulating cell shape, cell mechanics, and epithelium architecture. This will be achieved by analysing the function of spectrins in constitutively blebbing cells and in the Drosophila follicular epithelium (FE), combining genetics, live imaging and automated image analysis, as well as biophysical techniques to measure cellular forces and membrane tension. These approaches will determine how spectrins dynamically regulate cell- and tissue-scale mechanics.
References
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