Nonequilibrium statistical mechanical models for cytoskeletal assembly: towards understanding tensegrity in cells.

摘要: The cytoskeleton is not an equilibrium structure. To develop theoretical tools to investigate such nonequilibrium assemblies, we study a statistical physical model of motorized spherical particles. Though simple, it captures some the key features cytoskeletal networks. Variational solutions many-body master equation for set particles accounts their thermally induced Brownian motion as well kicking structural elements. These approximations yield stability limits crystalline phases and frozen amorphous structures. methods allow one compute effects behavior adhesion (effective cross-linking) on mechanical localized function density, strength, temperature. We find that noise does necessarily destabilize mechanically organized forces strongly modulate phase have comparable effect due cross-linking. Modeling transitions these allows properties rapidly adaptively change. present provides underpinning tensegrity picture cytoskeleton.