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Deforming biological membranes: How the cytoskeleton affects a polymerizing fiber.
- Source :
-
Journal of Chemical Physics . 1/14/2006, Vol. 124 Issue 2, p024903. 8p. 1 Chart, 4 Graphs. - Publication Year :
- 2006
-
Abstract
- We give a theoretical treatment of the force exerted by a fluctuating membrane on a polymer rod tip, taking into account the effects of an underlying biological cytoskeleton by way of a simple harmonic dependence on displacement. We also consider theoretically and experimentally the dynamics of a growing fiber tip under the influence of such a fluctuation-induced membrane force, including the effects of an underlying cytoskeletal network. We compare our model with new experimental data for the growth of hemoglobin fibers within red blood cells, revealing a good agreement. We are also able to estimate the force and membrane/cytoskeletal displacement required to stall growth of, or buckle, a growing fiber. We discuss the significance of our results in a biological context, including how the properties of the membrane and cytoskeleton relate to the thermodynamics of rod polymerization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 00219606
- Volume :
- 124
- Issue :
- 2
- Database :
- Academic Search Index
- Journal :
- Journal of Chemical Physics
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 19476321
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1063/1.2148960