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CPP: Fachverband Chemische Physik und Polymerphysik

CPP 25: Focus: Active Fluids

CPP 25.5: Invited Talk

Wednesday, March 24, 2010, 11:15–11:45, H39

Active behavior of the cytoskeleton — •Jean-Francois Joanny and Jacques Prost — Institut Curie Centre de Recherche Physico-Chimie Curie 26 rue d'Ulm, 75248 Paris Cedex 05 France

The mechanical properties of cells are dominated by the actin-myosin cytoskeleton. It is a gel-like structure formed by actin filaments which is active and intrinsically out of equilibrium since it contains molecular motors which permanently consume energy in the form of ATP.

We first present a hydrodynamic theory of active polar systems that allows for the description of the mechanical properties of the cytoskeleton. This theory is based on symmetry principles and is thus very similar to the hydrodynamic theories proposed for other active systems at very different length scales (animal behavior, bacterial suspensions...).

We then illustrate this theory by presenting some instablities of cells associated to the cortical actin layer: bleb formation, cell oscillations, contractile ring formation.