Authors
KE Kasza, GH Koenderink, YC Lin, CP Broedersz, W Messner, F Nakamura, TP Stossel, FC MacKintosh, DA Weitz
Publication date
2009/4
Journal
Physical Review E—Statistical, Nonlinear, and Soft Matter Physics
Volume
79
Issue
4
Pages
041928
Publisher
American Physical Society
Description
Networks of the biopolymer actin, cross-linked by the compliant protein filamin, form soft gels. They can, however, withstand large shear stresses due to their pronounced nonlinear elastic behavior. The nonlinear elasticity can be controlled by varying the number of cross-links per actin filament. We propose and test a model of rigid filaments decorated by multiple flexible linkers that is in quantitative agreement with experiment. This allows us to estimate loads on individual cross-links, which we find to be less than 10 pN.
Total citations
Scholar articles
KE Kasza, GH Koenderink, YC Lin, CP Broedersz… - Physical Review E—Statistical, Nonlinear, and Soft …, 2009