Tensile properties of microtubules: A study by nonlinear molecular structural mechanics modelling

Jin, Zhou; Guan, Siwen

doi:10.1016/j.physleta.2020.126674

Cited by 5 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 36 publications

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“…in the high stretch regime. Also, MTs were shown to provide rigidity (Zhang and Guan 2020 ). Nevertheless, they were assumed to contribute mainly to the cell’s compressive properties according to the tensegrity model (Ingber 2003 ), which are of little relevance for the load states considered herein.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Discrete network models of endothelial cells and their interactions with the substrate

Jakob,

Britt,

Giampietro

et al. 2024

Biomech Model Mechanobiol

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Endothelial cell monolayers line the inner surfaces of blood and lymphatic vessels. They are continuously exposed to different mechanical loads, which may trigger mechanobiological signals and hence play a role in both physiological and pathological processes. Computer-based mechanical models of cells contribute to a better understanding of the relation between cell-scale loads and cues and the mechanical state of the hosting tissue. However, the confluency of the endothelial monolayer complicates these approaches since the intercellular cross-talk needs to be accounted for in addition to the cytoskeletal mechanics of the individual cells themselves. As a consequence, the computational approach must be able to efficiently model a large number of cells and their interaction. Here, we simulate cytoskeletal mechanics by means of molecular dynamics software, generally suitable to deal with large, locally interacting systems. Methods were developed to generate models of single cells and large monolayers with hundreds of cells. The single-cell model was considered for a comparison with experimental data. To this end, we simulated cell interactions with a continuous, deformable substrate, and computationally replicated multistep traction force microscopy experiments on endothelial cells. The results indicate that cell discrete network models are able to capture relevant features of the mechanical behaviour and are thus well-suited to investigate the mechanics of the large cytoskeletal network of individual cells and cell monolayers.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Discrete network models of endothelial cells and their interactions with the substrate

Jakob,

Britt,

Giampietro

et al. 2024

Biomech Model Mechanobiol

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“…The length scale increases with the stiffness Er 4 of the microtubules and decreases with the activity (E), as is the case for the standard expression ( 9 , 16 , 19 )L∼Knormalαalthough the functional dependence is clearly different. There are no measurements of E and r for bundles of microtubules, so we will use the corresponding values for a single microtubule: r ∼ 25 nm and E ∼ 10 8 Pa ( 50 , 51 ). Given the weak dependence of L on the ratio E / r , this should yield a reasonable estimate.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Physically informed data-driven modeling of active nematics

et al. 2023

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A continuum description is essential for understanding a variety of collective phenomena in active matter. However, building quantitative continuum models of active matter from first principles can be extremely challenging due to both the gaps in our knowledge and the complicated structure of nonlinear interactions. Here, we use a physically informed data-driven approach to construct a complete mathematical model of an active nematic from experimental data describing kinesin-driven microtubule bundles confined to an oil-water interface. We find that the structure of the model is similar to the Leslie-Ericksen and Beris-Edwards models, but there are appreciable and important differences. Rather unexpectedly, elastic effects are found to play no role in the experiments considered, with the dynamics controlled entirely by the balance between active stresses and friction stresses.

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“…Because of its stiffness, individual microtubules and bands are known to have large bend and twist energies ( 27 , 35 , 36 ), so we anticipate that the transition from tightly curved folds of microtubule bands in the body to deployed bands in the neck should have energetic consequences. To better understand the associated energies, we began by characterizing the stored elastic energy in a microtubule band arranged in the helical geometry as seen in L. olor (fig.…”

Section: Transition Zones As Energy Barriers For Neck Deploymentmentioning

confidence: 99%

Curved crease origami and topological singularities enable hyperextensibility of L. olor

Flaum,

Prakash

2024

Science

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Fundamental limits of cellular deformations, such as hyperextension of a living cell, remain poorly understood. Here, we describe how the single-celled protist Lacrymaria olor , a 40-micrometer cell, is capable of reversibly and repeatably extending its necklike protrusion up to 1200 micrometers in 30 seconds. We discovered a layered cortical cytoskeleton and membrane architecture that enables hyperextensions through the folding and unfolding of cellular-scale origami. Physical models of this curved crease origami display topological singularities, including traveling developable cones and cytoskeletal twisted domain walls, which provide geometric control of hyperextension. Our work unravels how cell geometry encodes behavior in single cells and provides inspiration for geometric control in microrobotics and deployable architectures.

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Tensile properties of microtubules: A study by nonlinear molecular structural mechanics modelling

Cited by 5 publications

References 36 publications

Discrete network models of endothelial cells and their interactions with the substrate

Discrete network models of endothelial cells and their interactions with the substrate

Physically informed data-driven modeling of active nematics

Curved crease origami and topological singularities enable hyperextensibility of L. olor

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