Member of the Research Training Group, 15.05.2009 - 31.10.2012

PhD Defence 29.04.2013, Magna Cum Laude

Stimulation of human osteoblasts on cell chips in vivo

Osteoblasts are bone building cells. They could be stimulated by mechanical and/or electrical stimuli. In general, the coupling of a cell to its surface is realized by the membrane/extracellular matrix (ECM)-Interface compounded by proteins and charged molecules. These molecular interactions are either of a specific or unspecific character. The specific interactions are governed by protein-ligand interactions, i.e. Integrins to ECM-proteins like fibronectin. The unspecific interactions are electrostatically driven and are governed by macromolecular ions, i.e. spermidine. We postulate the cell coupling to its surface as the channel to propagate stimulating signals. Consequently, the characterization and the understanding of this interface build an important basic background for future designs of stimulating patterns in cell culture.

• Cell culture techniques
• Force spectroscopy: SMFS (Single Molecule Force Spectroscopy), SMFS (Single Molecule Force Spectroscopy), and force spectroscopy with functionalized cantilevers

• A cell culture protocol for SMFS-measurements were established
• The rheological behavior of L929 fibroblasts on macrostructured surfaces were characterized in co-authorship
• The organization of fibronectin on a nanostructured surfaces and the subsequently changing of the initial cell adhesion were characterized in co-authorship
• The pH-dependent attractive interactions of a negatively charged model system were determined (unspecific interactions in cell adhesion)
• The impact of heparin on the stability of native fibronectin was studied

Poster presentations:

WEIHE, T., BONK, S., 2010. Single-Cell Force Spectroscopy for the determination of initial adhesion of cells to different surfaces. BoneTech, Hannover, Germany (2010).

WEIHE, T., PERUTKOVA, Š., ELTER, P., KRALJ-IGLIC, V., IGLIC, A.and GIMSA, J., 2010.. Describing electrostatic attraction between negatively charged objects mediated by organic counter-ions of different length. Gordon Research Conference, Bioelectrochemistry, Biddeford USA.

WEIHE, T., PERUTKOVA, Š., KRALJ-IGLIC, V., ELTER, P., IGLIC, A., GIMSA, J., 2010. Describing electrostatic attraction between negatively charged objects mediated by organic counter-ions of different length. JPK Joint Meeting 2010, Berlin.

WEIHE, T., PERUTKOVA, Š., KRALJ-IGLIC, V., ELTER, P., IGLIC, A. and GIMSA, J., 2011. PH dependence of electrostatic attraction between negatively charged objects by organic counter-ions. Biophysical Society, 55th Annual Meeting, Baltimore ,USA

Publications in conference scripts:

VAN RIENEN, U., APPALI, R., BADER, R., BAUMANN, W., BECK, U., BEHREND, D., BENECKE, R., BIALA, K., BIRKHOLZ, H., BURKEL, E., ENGEL, K., EWALD, H., GIMSA, J., GIMSA, U., GONGADZE, E., GRÜNBAUM, A., HABA, Y., LIESE, F., LIU, B., LÜDER, M., MATSCHEGEWSKI, C., MITTELMEIER, W., MIX, E., NEBE, B., NOWAK, K.-A., PAHNKE, J., PAU, H.-W., PAULEWEIT, S., PETERSEN, S., POLNICK, S., REIMER, T., ROTT, G., SALOMON, R., VINTER, E., WEIHE, T. and WOLKENHAUER, O., 2010. Analyse und Simulation von Wechselwirkungen von Implantaten und Biosystemen. (BMT, Rostock-Warnemünde) Biomedizinische Technik/Biomedical Engineering, 55 (1) ISSN (Online) 1862-278X, ISSN (Print) 0013-5585, DOI: 10.1515/BMT.2010.712/October/2010

WEIHE, T., BONK, S., ELTER, P. and GIMSA, J., 2010. Ein-Zell Kraftspektroskopie zur Bestimmung der initialen Adhäsion von Zellen auf verschiedenen Oberflächen. BMT, Warnemünde

Journal publications:

ELTER, P., WEIHE, T., LANGE, R., GIMSA, J., BECK, U., 2011. The influence of topographic microstructures on the initial adhesion of L929 fibroblasts studied by single-cell force spectroscopy. Eur Biophys J (2011) 40:317-327

ELTER, P., WEIHE, T., BUEHLER, S., GIMSA, J. and BECK, U.: Fibronectin-mediated influence of a nano-scale topography on initial cell adhesion observed by single-cell force spectroscopy. Submitted

Journal publications in preparation:

WEIHE, T., IGLIC, A., ELTER, P., PERUTKOVA, Š., KRALJ-IGLIC, V., MARSZALEK, P. and GIMSA, J.. The long trivalent rod like spermidine governs the pH-dependent interaction force of like-charged surfaces.

In addition to the entire graduate school, my supervisors are:

• Prof. Dr. Jan Gimsa
• Dr. Werner Baumann