Thermal activation and ATP dependence of the cytoskeleton remodeling dynamics


Autoria(s): Farré Ventura, Ramon; Navajas Navarro, Daniel
Contribuinte(s)

Universitat de Barcelona

Data(s)

18/05/2012

Resumo

The cytoskeleton (CSK) is a nonequilibrium polymer network that uses hydrolyzable sources of free energy such as adenosine triphosphate (ATP) to remodel its internal structure. As in inert nonequilibrium soft materials, CSK remodeling has been associated with structural rearrangements driven by energy-activated processes. We carry out particle tracking and traction microscopy measurements of alveolar epithelial cells at various temperatures and ATP concentrations. We provide the first experimental evidence that the remodeling dynamics of the CSK is driven by structural rearrangements over free-energy barriers induced by thermally activated forces mediated by ATP. The measured activation energy of these forces is ~40kBTr (kB being the Boltzmann constant and Tr being the room temperature). Our experiments provide clues to understand the analogy between the dynamics of the living CSK and that of inert nonequilibrium soft materials.

Identificador

http://hdl.handle.net/2445/25804

Idioma(s)

eng

Publicador

American Physical Society

Direitos

(c) American Physical Society, 2009

info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess

Palavras-Chave #Citosquelet #Models biològics #Adenosina #Cytoskeleton #Biological models #Adenosine
Tipo

info:eu-repo/semantics/article