Endogenous TRAIL-R4 critically impacts apoptotic and non-apoptotic TRAIL-induced signaling in cancer cells.

Binding of TRAIL to its death domain-containing receptors TRAIL-R1 and TRAIL-R2 can induce cell death and/or pro-inflammatory signaling. The importance of TRAIL and TRAIL-R1/R2 in tumor immune surveillance and cancer biology has meanwhile been well documented. In addition, TRAIL has been shown to preferentially kill tumor cells, raising hope for the development of targeted anti-cancer therapies.

Swimming behavior of Pseudomonas aeruginosa studied by holographic 3D tracking.

Holographic 3D tracking was applied to record and analyze the swimming behavior of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The obtained trajectories allow to qualitatively and quantitatively analyze the free swimming behavior of the bacterium. This can be classified into five distinct swimming patterns.

Hologram reconstruction corrected for measurements through layers with different refractive indices in digital in-line holographic microscopy.

Digital in-line holographic microscopy (DIHM) using point sources has been shown to be a versatile technique, especially for three-dimensional tracking of particles or microorganisms. However, the spherical source wave is altered when measurements are performed through layers with different refractive indices, such as water cuvettes. The situations where a layer of medium with a refractive index different than that of the predominant surrounding propagation medium (usually air) is situated behind or in front of the plane to be reconstructed are analyzed in detail, and a general approach for reconstruction under such circumstances is developed.

A quantitative 3D motility analysis of Trypanosoma brucei by use of digital in-line holographic microscopy.

We present a quantitative 3D analysis of the motility of the blood parasite Trypanosoma brucei. Digital in-line holographic microscopy has been used to track single cells with high temporal and spatial accuracy to obtain quantitative data on their behavior. Comparing bloodstream form and insect form trypanosomes as well as mutant and wildtype cells under varying external conditions we were able to derive a general two-state-run-and-tumble-model for trypanosome motility.

Flow conditions in the vicinity of microstructured interfaces studied by holography and implications for the assembly of artificial actin networks.

Microstructured fluidic devices have successfully been used for the assembly of free standing actin networks as mechanical model systems on the top of micropillars. The assembly occurs spontaneously at the pillar heads when preformed filaments are injected into the channel. In order to reveal the driving mechanism of this localization, we studied the properties of the flow profile by holographic tracking.