Related papers: A Simple Experimental Model to Investigate Force R…
When a cell-sized water droplet, with a diameter of several tens of micro meter, is placed in oil containing phospholipids, a stable cell-sized vesicle is spontaneously formed as a water-in-oil phospholipid emulsion (W/O CE) with a…
Generation of mechanical oscillation is ubiquitous to wide variety of intracellular processes. We show that catchbonding behaviour of motor proteins provides a generic mechanism of generating spontaneous oscillations in motor-cytoskeletal…
A flexible membrane deforming its shape in time can self-propel in a viscous fluid. Alternatively, if the membrane is anchored, its deformation will lead to fluid transport. Past work in this area focused on situations where the deformation…
Mesoscale molecular assemblies on the cell surface, such as cilia and filopodia, integrate information, control transport and amplify signals. Synthetic devices mimicking these structures could sensitively monitor these cellular functions…
This work revisits capillary filling dynamics in the regime of nanometric to subnanometric channels. Using molecular dynamics simulations of water in carbon nanotubes, we show that for tube radii below one nanometer, both the filling…
Many proteins and peptides have an intrinsic capacity to sense and induce membrane curvature, and play crucial roles for organizing and remodelling cell membranes. However, the molecular driving forces behind these processes are not well…
With recent developments in nanotechnology, self-assembled structures are providing convenient, cheaper and more precise ways of manufacturing various patterns and shapes with less complexity. Of these self-assembled structures, rolled-up…
The molecular arrangement of lipids and proteins within biomembranes and monolayers gives rise to complex film morphologies as well as regions of distinct electrical surface potential, topographical and electrostatic nanoscale domains. To…
Tuning cell rearrangements is essential in collective cell movement that underlies cancer progression, wound repair, and embryonic development. A key question is how tissue material properties and morphology emerge from cellular factors…
There is mounting evidence that lipid bilayers display conductive properties. However, when interpreting the electrical response of biological membranes to voltage changes, they are commonly considered as inert insulators. However, lipid…
Molecular motor gliding motility assays based on myosin/actin or kinesin/microtubules are of interest for nanotechnology applications ranging from cargo-trafficking in lab-on-a-chip devices to novel biocomputation strategies. Prototype…
We discuss different mechanisms for curvature-induced domain formation in multicomponent lipid membranes and present a theoretical model that allows us to study the interplay between the domains. The model represents the membrane by two…
There is now growing evidence of the emergence and biological functionality of liquid crystal features, including nematic order and topological defects, in cellular tissues. However, how such features that intrinsically rely on particle…
Fluid membranes made out of lipid bilayers are the fundamental separation structure in eukaryotic cells. Many physiological processes rely on dramatic shape and topological changes (e.g. fusion, fission) of fluid membrane systems. Fluidity…
The unique topology and exceptional properties of carbon nanoscrolls (CNSs) have inspired unconventional nano-device concepts, yet the fabrication of CNSs remains rather challenging. Using molecular dynamics simulations, we demonstrate the…
We demonstrate the procedure of Scanning Probe Microscopy (SPM) conductive probe fabrication with a single multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWNT) on a silicon cantilever pyramid. The nanotube bundle reliably attached to the metal-covered…
We present a simple and computationally efficient coarse-grained and solvent-free model for simulating lipid bilayer membranes. In order to be used in concert with particle-based reaction-diffusion simulations, the model is purely based on…
Conventional kinesin is a motor protein, which is able to walk along a microtubule processively. The exact mechanism of the stepping motion and force generation of kinesin is still far from clear. In this paper we argue that neck linker…
The cellular cytoskeleton is an active material, driven out of equilibrium by molecular motor proteins. It is not understood how the collective behaviors of cytoskeletal networks emerge from the properties of the network's constituent motor…
Despite its relevance in biology and engineering, the molecular mechanism driving cavitation in water remains unknown. Using computer simulations, we investigate the structure and dynamics of vapor bubbles emerging from metastable water at…