Berlin 2012 – scientific programme
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BP: Fachverband Biologische Physik
BP 32: Physics of Cells III
BP 32.10: Talk
Friday, March 30, 2012, 12:00–12:15, H 1028
Rupture dynamics of cytoskeletal networks — •Philip Guthardt Torres1,2 and Ulrich S. Schwarz1,2 — 1Bioquant, University of Heidelberg — 2ITP, University of Heidelberg
In cell adhesion and migration, mechanical stability of cytoskeletal networks under force has emerged as an important factor. For example, the transition from lamellipodium to lamella at the front edge of migrating tissue cells and the dissociation of the treadmilling actin gel at the back of rapidly migrating keratocytes might both be determined by the mechanical stability of the actin network contracted by myosin II motors. In contrast to traditional fracture mechanics, rupture in cytoskeletal networks is not dominated by stability thresholds, but rather by stochastic rupture events with exponentially distributed waiting times. Moreover, load sharing in such networks is strongly determined by their spatial organization, which can be very variable in the cellular context. We use a simple two-dimensional model for cable networks to study the rupture dynamics of cytoskeletal networks.