Mechanics of bundled semiflexible polymer networks

O. Lieleg, M. M.A.E. Claessens, C. Heussinger, E. Frey, A. R. Bausch

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

127 Scopus citations

Abstract

While actin bundles are used by living cells for structural fortification, the microscopic origin of the elasticity of bundled networks is not understood. Here, we show that above a critical concentration of the actin binding protein fascin, a solution of actin filaments organizes into a pure network of bundles. While the elasticity of weakly cross-linked networks is dominated by the affine deformation of tubes, the network of bundles can be fully understood in terms of nonaffine bending undulations.

Original languageEnglish
Article number088102
JournalPhysical Review Letters
Volume99
Issue number8
DOIs
StatePublished - 22 Aug 2007

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