Adhesion of soft objects on wet substrates

We study the dynamics of contact of a soft object (rubber bead, soft shell, vesicles, living cells) on a wet substrate by removal of the intercalated liquid film. The profiles of the contact zone are observed by reflection in terference contrast microscopy. The adhesion forces (either hydrophobic, el ectrostatic or specific) are measured by micropipettes, Row cells or 'micro karcher' techniques. For vesicles, the adhesion induces a tension of the me mbrane. which relaxes by the formation of transient macroscopic pores. We s tudy the dynamics of opening and closing of pores.