English

Three-dimensional phase field model for actin-based cell membrane dynamics

Biological Physics 2021-06-04 v1

Abstract

The interface dynamics of a 3D cell immersed in a 3D extracellular matrix is investigated. We suggest a 3D generalization of a known 2D minimal phase field model suggested in [1] for the description of keratocyte motility. Our model consists of two coupled evolution equations for the order parameter and a three-dimensional vector field describing the actin network polarization (orientation). We derive a closed evolutionary integro-differential equation governing the interface dynamics of a 3D cell. The equation includes the normal velocity of the membrane, its curvature, cell volume relaxation, and a parameter that is determined by the non-equilibrium effects in the cytoskeleton. This equation can be considered as a 3D generalization of the 2D case that was derived in [2].

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.2106.01938,
  title  = {Three-dimensional phase field model for actin-based cell membrane dynamics},
  author = {Mohammad Abu Hamed and Alexander A. Nepomnyashchy},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2106.01938},
  year   = {2021}
}

Comments

arXiv admin note: text overlap with arXiv:1910.01421

R2 v1 2026-06-24T02:48:07.685Z