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Mechanisms of Cell Motion in Confined Geometries

R. J. Hawkins, R. Voituriez (2010)

Mathematical Modelling of Natural Phenomena

We present a simple mechanism of cell motility in a confined geometry, inspired by recent motility assays in microfabricated channels. This mechanism relies mainly on the coupling of actin polymerisation at the cell membrane to geometric confinement. We first show analytically using a minimal model of polymerising viscoelastic gel confined in a narrow channel that spontaneous motion occurs due to polymerisation alone. Interestingly, this mechanism...

Molecular motors and stochastic networks

Reinhard Lipowsky, Steffen Liepelt (2008)

Banach Center Publications

Molecular motors are nano- or colloidal machines that keep the living cell in a highly ordered, stationary state far from equilibrium. This self-organized order is sustained by the energy transduction of the motors, which couple exergonic or 'downhill' processes to endergonic or 'uphill' processes. A particularly interesting case is provided by the chemomechanical coupling of cytoskeletal motors which use the chemical energy released during ATP hydrolysis in order to generate mechanical forces and...

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