Physik der biologischen Gestaltbildung

In each generation cycle of a higher organism, a complex structure is formed under the instruction of the genes. In this process morphogenetic fields (probably spatial concentration patterns of substances) are involved which elicit cell responses giving rise to visible pattern and form. Autocatalytic short-range activation in conjunction with long-range (“lateral”) inhibition is capable of generating striking concentration patterns starting from near-uniform distributions. No features unusual in molecular biology are required, and self-regulatory properties observed experimentally in biological development can be accounted for. Cell responses to morphogenetic fields can include cell differentiation and the generation of bending moments, curvature and form in cell sheets giving rise to defined forms in organs and organisms. It appears that biological pattern formation is explicable on the basis of known physical laws and processes.     

Dielektrophoretische Untersuchungen an biologischen Systemen

The effect of nonuniform alternating fields on neutral or charged particles is named dielectrophoresis in contrast to the action of a uniform steady field on charged particles, named electrophoresis. Dielectrophoresis exhibits e.g. collection of the cells at the electrodes, pearl chain formation everywhere in the experimental chamber, cord formation with ramification, orientation of asymmetric cells, rotation and membrane fusion. In the presented experiments frequencies between 100 Hz and 5 MHz and voltages up to 70 V between electrodes of a few millimeter distance were applied to yeast cells. Dielectrophoresis may offer an interesting biophysical and microbiologic tool for collecting cells and discriminating between living and dead ones, for investigation of influence of drugs on the status of cells, for experiments on membrane or cell fusion and for the study of surface charges in different cells. Its biologic application has just begun.     

Synthesekonzeptionen zu neuen biologischen Wirkstoffen

Three concepts for the synthesis of biologically active compounds are discussed and illustrated by examples. In addition to the accidental finding of biologically active compounds, synthesized purely for chemical reasons, analogy models can serve as guidelines for synthesis. In the latter, naturally occurring or synthetic biologically active molecules are modified to optimize or alter the biological properties. A third approach for the synthesis of active substances is oriented according to the side of action. Models from biochemistry and molecular biology serve as a basis for synthesis planning.