Anisotropic Random Networks of Semiflexible Polymers

Benetatos, Panayotis; Zippelius, Annette

doi:10.1103/physrevlett.99.198301

Cited by 22 publications

(25 citation statements)

References 15 publications

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“…Atomic force microscopy [5][6][7] has been used to analyze single collagen fibrils, which themselves consist of many microfibrils and hence can be modeled as anisotropic networks of irreversibly cross-linked semiflexible polymers [8]. Cell shape and stability is provided by the actin cytoskeleton, a network of cross-linked F-actin ranging in morphology from a dilute mesh to bundles of parallel filaments [9].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Elasticity of cross-linked semiflexible biopolymers under tension

et al. 2013

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Aiming at the mechanical properties of cross-linked biopolymers, we set up and analyze a model of two weakly bending wormlike chains subjected to a tensile force, with regularly spaced interchain bonds (cross-links) represented by harmonic springs. Within this model, we compute the force-extension curve and the differential stiffness exactly and discuss several limiting cases. Crosslinks effectively stiffen the chain pair by reducing thermal fluctuations transverse to the force and alignment direction. The extra alignment due to cross-links increases both with growing number and with growing strength of the cross-links, and is most prominent for small force f . For large f , the additional, cross-link-induced extension is subdominant except for the case of linking the chains rigidly and continuously along their contour. In this combined limit, we recover asymptotically the elasticity of a weakly bending wormlike chain without constraints, stiffened by a factor four. The increase in differential stiffness can be as large as 100% for small f or large numbers of cross-links.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Elasticity of cross-linked semiflexible biopolymers under tension

et al. 2013

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“…These may either be represented as a series of domains capable of unfolding (DiDonna & Levine, 2006), or as inextensible wormlike chains (Broedersz et al, 2008), leading to a softening or stiffening response, respectively. Recently theoretically studied problems also include thermodynamic properties and complex phase diagrams of polymer networks (Borukhov et al, 2005;Benetatos & Zippelius, 2007). An interesting interplay between single polymer and crosslinker dynamics arises in transiently connected networks, where the kinetics of the crosslinker leads to an additional viscous dissipation mechanism Wolff et al, 2010) (see Sec.…”

Section: Affine Network Modelmentioning

confidence: 99%

Fluctuations of Stiff Polymers and Cell Mechanics

Gläser¹,

Kroy²

2010

Biopolymers

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“…[11]. Theoretical attempts to study the formation of ordered structures in this kind of systems involve a generalized Onsager approach [12][13][14], a Flory-Huggins theory [15], and a semi-microscopic replica field theory [16]. In Refs.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…[12][13][14][15] the filaments are modeled as perfectly rigid rods whereas in Ref. [16] they are considered to be semiflexible polymers and the thermal bending fluctuations (finite persistence length) are fully taken into account.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Orientational order and glassy states in networks of semiflexible polymers

2011

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Motivated by the structure of networks of cross-linked cytoskeletal biopolymers, we study orientationally ordered phases in two-dimensional networks of randomly cross-linked semiflexible polymers. We consider permanent cross-links which prescribe a finite angle and treat them as quenched disorder in a semi-microscopic replica field theory. Starting from a fluid of un-cross-linked polymers and small polymer clusters (sol) and increasing the cross-link density, a continuous gelation transition occurs. In the resulting gel, the semiflexible chains either display long range orientational order or are frozen in random directions depending on the value of the crossing angle, the crosslink concentration, and the stiffness of the polymers. A crossing angle θ ∼ 2π/M leads to long range M -fold orientational order, e.g., "hexatic" or "tetratic" for θ = 60 • or 90 • , respectively. The transition to the orientationally ordered state is discontinuous and the critical cross-link density, which is higher than that of the gelation transition, depends on the bending stiffness of the polymers and the crosslink angle: the higher the stiffness and the lower M , the lower the critical number of cross-links. In between the sol and the long range ordered state, we always expect a gel which is a statistically isotropic amorphous solid (SIAS) with random positional and random orientational localization of the participating polymers.

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Anisotropic Random Networks of Semiflexible Polymers

Cited by 22 publications

References 15 publications

Elasticity of cross-linked semiflexible biopolymers under tension

Elasticity of cross-linked semiflexible biopolymers under tension

Fluctuations of Stiff Polymers and Cell Mechanics

Orientational order and glassy states in networks of semiflexible polymers

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