Two competing orientation patterns explain experimentally observed anomalies in growing actin networks

The lamellipodium of migrating animal cells protrudes by directed polymerization of a branched actin network. The underlying mechanisms of filament growth, branching, and capping can be studied in in vitro assays. However, conflicting results have been reported for the force-velocity relation of suc...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Weichsel, Julian (Author) , Schwarz, Ulrich S. (Author)
Format: Article (Journal)
Language:English
Published: 2010
In: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
Year: 2010, Volume: 107, Issue: 14, Pages: 6304-6309
ISSN:1091-6490
DOI:10.1073/pnas.0913730107
Online Access:Verlag, kostenfrei, Volltext: http://dx.doi.org/10.1073/pnas.0913730107
Verlag, kostenfrei, Volltext: http://www.pnas.org/content/107/14/6304
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Author Notes:Julian Weichsel and Ulrich S. Schwarz
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Summary:The lamellipodium of migrating animal cells protrudes by directed polymerization of a branched actin network. The underlying mechanisms of filament growth, branching, and capping can be studied in in vitro assays. However, conflicting results have been reported for the force-velocity relation of such actin networks, namely both convex and concave shapes as well as history dependencies. Here we model branching as a reaction that is independent of the number of existing filaments, in contrast to capping, which is assumed to be proportional to the number of existing filaments. Using both stochastic network simulations and deterministic rate equations, we show that such a description naturally leads to the stability of two qualitatively different stationary states of the system, namely a ± 35° and a +70/0/-70° orientation pattern. Changes in network growth velocity induce a transition between these two patterns. For sufficiently different protrusion efficiency of the two network architectures, this leads to hysteresis in the growth velocity of actin networks under force. Dependent on the history of the system, convex and concave regimes are obtained for the force-velocity relation. Thus a simple generic model can explain the experimentally observed anomalies, with far reaching consequences for cell migration.
Item Description:Gesehen am 08.12.2017
Physical Description:Online Resource
ISSN:1091-6490
DOI:10.1073/pnas.0913730107