Premium
Biomimetic Models of the Actin Cytoskeleton
Author(s) -
Mohrdieck Camilla,
Dalmas Florent,
Arzt Eduard,
Tharmann Rainer,
Claessens Mireille M. A. E.,
Bausch Andreas R.,
Roth Alexander,
Sackmann Erich,
Schmitz Christian H. J.,
Curtis Jennifer,
Roos Wouter,
Schulz Simon,
Uhrig Kai,
Spatz Joachim P.
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
small
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.785
H-Index - 236
eISSN - 1613-6829
pISSN - 1613-6810
DOI - 10.1002/smll.200600565
Subject(s) - cytoskeleton , actin cytoskeleton , adaptability , actin , motility , in silico , microbiology and biotechnology , computer science , biological system , biology , cell , ecology , biochemistry , genetics , gene
The cytoskeleton is a complex polymer network that plays an essential role in the functionality of eukaryotic cells. It endows cells with mechanical stability, adaptability, and motility. To identify and understand the mechanisms underlying this large variety of capabilities and to possibly transfer them to engineered networks makes it necessary to have in vitro and in silico model systems of the cytoskeleton. These models must be realistic representatives of the cellular network and at the same time be controllable and reproducible. Here, an approach to design complementary experimental and numerical model systems of the actin cytoskeleton is presented and some of their properties discussed.