Quantitative study of the dynamics of growth and differentiation of periodontal cells using micro-/nanotechnology and mathematical simulation

Project Management: Prof. Dr. Pascal Tomakidi, Head of Cell and Tissue Culture Laboratory, Dept. of Orthodontics and Dento-Facial Orthopedics, Dental School University Heidelberg 

Cooperations:

Dr. Niels Grabe, Department of Medical Informatics, University Hospital Heidelberg

Prof. Dr. Joachim Spatz, Director Max-Planck Institute for Material Science,     Stuttgart, Professor at the Institute of Biophysical Chemistry, University Heidelberg

Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. mult. Willi Jäger, Head of the Center for Scientific Computing of the University Heidelberg (IWR)


Funding: Dietmar Hopp-Stiftung


Brief description:

The funded project aims for the quantitative assessment of biological cell functions such as adhesion, growth, and differentiation on nano-/microstructured surfaces. As experimental tools we will use cell cultures of human periodontal tissues including human gingival keratinocytes and fibroblasts, periodontal ligament fibroblasts and alveolar bone cells. These cultures will be established on defined microstructured pillar surfaces, biofunctionalized with extracellular matrix molecules. This allows to quantitatively analyze the cell functions in relation to the cell´s biomechanical properties which is realized by measuring the distance and deflection of the pillars under varying experimental conditions. Cellular function is determined on the protein level by immuncyto or -histochemistry using indirect immunofluorescence. Life-cell images of the resulting immunofluorescence are obtained using digital microscopy. Cell function is quantified by measuring biomarker fluorescence. Furthermore, pillar deflection is determined. Thereafter, the desired mathematical relationships between biomechanical and biofunctional properties of the studied cells are extracted from the measured data. These results are used as a basis for a combined biomechanical and biofunctional model of periodental cells and tissue. In this way a first mathematical description and modelling of periodontal homeostasis can be achieved. This model will be based on a multi-cellular simulation on the cellular level of the respective tissues, i.e. gingival epithelium and connective tissue, periodontal ligament and alveolar bone. The simulation will implement the observed relationship between biomechanics and biofunction using finite state machines.

Project Duration: 2005-2007

Project Staff:

Prof. Dr. Pascal Tomakidi, Dr. rer. nat. Thorsten Steinberg, Dr.-Ing. Niels Grabe

Prof. Dr. Joachim Spatz, Director Max-Planck Institute for Material Science, Stuttgart, Professor at the Institute of Biophysical Chemistry, University Heidelberg

Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. mult. Willi Jäger, Head of the Center for Scientific Computing of the University Heidelberg (IWR)

Diplomanden

TAs

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