Cytoskeletal networks: polymer physics meets cell biology
Department of Physics and Astronomy, Vrije
Universiteit, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Email: fcm@nat.vu.nl
Networks of filamentous proteins play a
crucial role in cell mechanics. These cytoskeletal networks, together
with various crosslinking and other associated proteins largely determine the
(visco)elastic response of cells. Cytoskeletal biopolymers have also provided
new insights into basic aspects of polymer physics. In contrast to common
flexible polymer materials, the response of these networks is highly
non-linear, and their rheological properties can be tuned with small changes in
density or local network connectivity. In the cell, these systems are also out
of equilibrium in a way unique to biology: their rheological properties can
reflect internal active force generation by molecular motors. We discuss recent
theoretical and experimental efforts to understand these essential materials of
the cell.