Deformation of crosslinked semiflexible polymer networks
Disordered Systems and Neural Networks
2009-11-10 v2 Biomolecules
Abstract
Networks of filamentous proteins play a crucial role in cell mechanics. These cytoskeletal networks, together with various crosslinking and other associated proteins largely determine the (visco)elastic response of cells. In this letter we study a model system of crosslinked, stiff filaments in order to explore the connection between the microstructure under strain and the macroscopic response of cytoskeletal networks. We find two distinct regimes as a function primarily of crosslink density and filament rigidity: one characterized by affine deformation and one by non-affine deformation. We characterize the crossover between these two.
Cite
@article{arxiv.cond-mat/0303499,
title = {Deformation of crosslinked semiflexible polymer networks},
author = {D. A. Head and A. J. Levine and F. C. MacKintosh},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:cond-mat/0303499},
year = {2009}
}
Comments
Typos fixed and some technical details clarified. To appear in Phys. Rev. Lett