Molecular Biology and Genetics / Moleküler Biyoloji ve Genetik
Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://hdl.handle.net/11147/9
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Article Citation - WoS: 20Citation - Scopus: 17Differentiation of Normal and Cancer Cell Adhesion on Custom Designed Protein Nanopatterns(American Chemical Society, 2015) Horzum, Utku; Özdil, Berrin; Pesen Okvur, DevrimCell adhesion to the extracellular matrix is deregulated in metastasis. However, traditional surfaces used to study cell adhesion do not faithfully mimic the in vivo microenvironment. Electron beam lithography (EBL) is able to generate customized protein nanopatterns. Here, we used an EBL-based green lithography approach to fabricate homogeneous and gradient, single (fibronectin, K-casein) and double (fibronectin, laminin) active component protein nanopatterns with micrometer scale spacing to investigate differences in adhesion of breast cancer cells (BCC) and normal mammary epithelial cells (NMEC). Our results showed that as expected, in contrast to NMEC, BCC were plastic: they tolerated nonadhesion promoting regions, adapted to flow and exploited gradients better. In addition, the number of focal adhesions but not their area appeared to be the dominant parameter for regulation of cell adhesion. Our findings also demonstrated that custom designed protein nanopatterns, which can properly mimic the in vivo microenvironment, enable realistic distinction of normal and cancerous cell adhesion.Article Citation - WoS: 246Citation - Scopus: 245Step-By Quantitative Analysis of Focal Adhesions(Elsevier Ltd., 2014) Horzum, Utku; Özdil, Berrin; Pesen Okvur, DevrimFocal adhesions (FAs) are specialized adhesive structures which serve as cellular communication units between cells and the surrounding extracellular matrix. FAs are involved in signal transduction and actin cytoskeleton organization. FAs mediate cell adhesion, which is a critical phenomenon in cancer research. Since cells can form many and micrometer scale FAs, their quantitative analysis demands well-optimized image analysis approaches [1-3]. Here, we have optimized the analysis of FAs of MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells. The optimization is based on proper processing of immunofluorescence images of vinculin, which is one of the markers of FAs. All image processing steps are carried out using the ImageJ software, which is freely available and in the public domain. The advantages of our method are:The analysis steps are simplified by combining different plugins of the ImageJ program.FAs are better detected with minimal false negatives due to optimized processing of fluorescent images.This approach can be applied to quantify a variety of fluorescent images comprising focal and/or localized signals within a high background such as FAs, one of the many complex signaling structures in a cell.Article Citation - WoS: 6Citation - Scopus: 6Fabrication of 3d Controlled in Vitro Microenvironments(Elsevier Ltd., 2014) Özdil, Berrin; Önal, Sevgi; Oruç, Tuğçe; Pesen Okvur, DevrimMicrofluidics-based lab-on-a-chips have many advantages, one of which is to provide physiologically relevant settings for cell biology experiments. Thus there is an ever increasing interest in their fabrication. Our goal is to construct three dimensional (3D) Controlled in vitro Microenvironments (CivMs) that mimic the in vivo microenvironments. Here, we present our optimized fabrication method that works for various lab-on-a-chip designs with a wide range of dimensions. The most crucial points are:While using one type of SU-8 photoresist (SU-2075), fine tuning of ramp, dwell time, spin speed, durations of soft bake, UV exposure and development allows fabrication of SU-8 masters with various heights from 40 to 600 μm.Molding PDMS (polydimethylsiloxane) at room temperature for at least two days instead of baking at higher temperatures prevents not only tears and bubbles in PDMS stamps but also cracks in the SU-8 master.3D nature of the CivMs is ensured by keeping the devices inverted during gel polymerization.Article Citation - WoS: 5Citation - Scopus: 6Micrometer Scale Spacings Between Fibronectin Nanodots Regulate Cell Morphology and Focal Adhesions(IOP Publishing Ltd., 2014) Horzum, Utku; Özdil, Berrin; Pesen Okvur, DevrimCell adhesion to extracellular matrix is an important process for both health and disease states. Surface protein patterns that are topographically flat, and do not introduce other chemical, topographical or rigidity related functionality and, more importantly, that mimic the organization of the in vivo extracellular matrix are desired. Previous work showed that vinculin and cytoskeletal organization are modulated by size and shape of surface nanopatterns. However, quantitative analysis on cell morphology and focal adhesions as a function of micrometer scale spacings of FN nanopatterns was absent. Here, electron beam lithography was used to pattern fibronectin nanodots with micrometer scale spacings on a Kcasein background on indium tin oxide coated glass which, unlike silicon, is transparent and thus suitable for many light microscopy techniques. Exposure times were significantly reduced using the line exposure mode with micrometer scale step sizes. Micrometer scale spacings of 2, 4 and 8 m between fibronectin nanodots proved to modulate cell adhesion through modification of cell area, focal adhesion number, size and circularity. Overall, cell behavior was shown to shift at the apparent threshold of 4 m spacing. The findings presented here offer exciting new opportunities for cell biology research.