Technische Universität Braunschweig View Institution's Website 5 articles published in JoVE Immunology and Infection Pneumococcus Infection of Primary Human Endothelial Cells in Constant Flow Hilger Jagau1,2, Ina-Kristin Behrens1,3, Michael Steinert1,4, Simone Bergmann1 1Institut für Mikrobiologie, Technische Universität Braunschweig, 2Devision of Infection Medicine, Department of Clinical Science, Lund University, 3Medical Microbiology and Hospital Epidemiology, Max von Pettenkofer Institute, Ludwig Maximilians University, 4Department of Molecular Infection Biology, Helmholtz Center for Infection Research This study describes the microscopic monitoring of pneumococcus adherence to von Willebrand factor strings produced on the surface of differentiated human primary endothelial cells under shear stress in defined flow conditions. This protocol can be extended to detailed visualization of specific cell structures and quantification of bacteria by applying differential immunostaining procedures. Biology Micromanipulation Techniques Allowing Analysis of Morphogenetic Dynamics and Turnover of Cytoskeletal Regulators Georgi Dimchev1,2, Klemens Rottner1,2 1Division of Molecular Cell Biology, Zoological Institute, Technische Universität Braunschweig, 2Department of Cell Biology, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research We describe how micro- and photomanipulation techniques such as FRAP and photoactivation enable the determination of motility parameters and the spatiotemporal dynamics of proteins within migrating cells. Experimental readouts include subcellular dynamics and turnover of motility regulators or of the underlying actin cytoskeleton. Engineering Development of an Experimental Setup for the Measurement of the Coefficient of Restitution under Vacuum Conditions Sven Drücker1, Isabell Krautstrunk2, Maria Paulick2, Khashayar Saleh1, Martin Morgeneyer1, Arno Kwade2 1Industrial Process Engineering, University of Technology of Compiègne, 2Institute for Particle Technology, Technische Universität Braunschweig The coefficient of restitution is a parameter that describes the loss of kinetic energy during collision. Here, a free-fall setup under vacuum conditions is developed to be able to determine the coefficient of restitution parameter for particles in micrometer range with high impact velocities. Engineering Laboratory Drop Towers for the Experimental Simulation of Dust-aggregate Collisions in the Early Solar System Jürgen Blum1, Eike Beitz1, Mohtashim Bukhari1, Bastian Gundlach1, Jan-Hendrik Hagemann1, Daniel Heißelmann1, Stefan Kothe1, Rainer Schräpler1, Ingo von Borstel1, René Weidling1 1Institut für Geophysik und extraterrestrische Physik, Technische Universität Braunschweig We present a technique to achieve low-velocity to intermediate-velocity collisions between fragile dust aggregates in the laboratory. For this purpose, two vacuum drop-tower setups have been developed that allow collision velocities between <0.01 and ~10 m/sec. The collision events are recorded by high-speed imaging. Immunology and Infection Customization of Aspergillus niger Morphology Through Addition of Talc Micro Particles Thomas Wucherpfennig1, Antonia Lakowitz1, Habib Driouch1, Rainer Krull1, Christoph Wittmann1 1Institute of Biochemical Engineering, Technische Universität Braunschweig A method to precisely generate and to comprehensively characterize morphology of filamentous fungus Aspergillus niger is described, which allows the mathematical correlation of morphological appearance and productivity.