English

Elasticity of Semiflexible Biopolymer Networks

Condensed Matter 2009-10-28 v1 q-bio

Abstract

We develop a model for gels and entangled solutions of semiflexible biopolymers such as F-actin. Such networks play a crucial structural role in the cytoskeleton of cells. We show that the rheologic properties of these networks can result from nonclassical rubber elasticity. This model can explain a number of elastic properties of such networks {\em in vitro}, including the concentration dependence of the storage modulus and yield strain.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.cond-mat/9507093,
  title  = {Elasticity of Semiflexible Biopolymer Networks},
  author = {F. C. MacKintosh and J. Kas and P. A. Janmey},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:cond-mat/9507093},
  year   = {2009}
}

Comments

Uses RevTeX, full postscript with figures available at http://www.umich.edu/~fcm/preprints/agel/agel.html