The Architecture of Appetite: Physical Principles of Phagocytic and Trogocytic Uptake

Date

May 7, 2026

Time

11:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Speaker

Daniel Fletcher

Affiliation

UC Berkeley, USA

Series

MPI-CBG Thursday Seminar

Language

en

Main Topic

Biologie

Host

Stephan Grill

Description

Cell-cell interactions are governed by the complex and dynamic biophysical landscape of the cell surface. For phagocytic cells like macrophages, the decision to engulf a target is influenced by both the material properties and topography of the interface. We demonstrate that steric crowding of the glycocalyx acts as a physical barrier to antigen accessibility, effectively lowering phagocytic efficiency. We also find that target cortical stiffness serves as a mechanical switch between whole-cell phagocytosis and trogocytosis (cellular "nibbling"). This selective membrane extraction can reshape the molecular identity of both cells through "cross-dressing," a poorly understood process of membrane exchange. By integrating genome-scale CRISPR screens with novel biophysical characterization tools, we are investigating how the interplay of surface crowding and target mechanics defines the appetite of immune cells, offering new physical strategies to regulate immune function and guide other types of cell-cell interactions.

Last modified: May 7, 2026, 7:38:31 AM