Cell stretching and Listeria monocytogenes infections

In the work group Bastounis I performed research on host-pathogen interactions in epithelial monolayers using an organo-typic stretching device. The novel stretch device modeled in vivo conditions more precisely and enabled us to perform innovative live cell imaging on stretched cells.

Immunoflouresent staining of epitelial cells (nuclei, blue) and Listeria monocytogenes (red). Epithelial cells form infection mount and push Listeria monocytogenes to the center of the infection focus. Eventually this extrudes the infected cells.