Berlin 2005 – scientific programme

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AKB: Biologische Physik

AKB 25: Active Networks and Cell Motility

AKB 25.4: Talk

Friday, March 4, 2005, 16:15–16:30, TU H2013

Self-organization of cytoskeletal systems: formation of contractile rings and mitotic spindles — •Alexander Zumdieck, Karsten Kruse, and Frank Jülicher — Max-Planck-Institut für Physik komplexer Systeme, Dresden

The cytoskeleton is a complex network of protein filaments. Driven by active processes such as filament polymerization and depolymerization and the action of molecular motors it represents an active, soft material. It is intrinsically dynamic and able to generate mechanical stress and flow of filaments.

We discuss the self-organization of filament motor systems in the presence of filament polymerization and depolymerization. Starting from a microscopic picture, we develop a coarse grained theory for the dynamics of the system [1]. We apply these theories to systems of filaments representing stress fibers or contractile rings in linear and cylindrical geometry and find that contractile rings could form on a cell membrane by self-organization phenomena. We furthermore discuss the contraction dynamics of the contractile ring. Application of these theories to mitotic spindles reveals conditions for spindle formation and stability.

[1] K. Kruse, A. Zumdieck and F. Jülicher, Europhys. Lett. 64, 716 (2003)