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In mechanical engineering, the stability of systems under various forces is critical for designing durable and efficient structures. One fundamental way to explore these concepts is by analyzing systems like two rods connected at a pivot point, O, with a torsional spring of spring constant k at the pivot point. This system is similar in appearance to a scissor jack used to change tires on a car. In this case, the arms of the linkage (equivalent to the rods in this system) are entirely vertical,...
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Understanding cytoskeletal avalanches using mechanical stability analysis.

Carlos Floyd1, Herbert Levine2,3,4, Christopher Jarzynski5,6,7

  • 1Biophysics Program, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
|October 6, 2021
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Cytoskeletal avalanches, or "cytoquakes," involve rapid energy release and collective filament rearrangements. Mechanical instability precedes these events, offering insights into cellular mechanics.

Keywords:
active matteravalanchecell mechanicscytoskeleton

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Area of Science:

  • Cellular mechanics
  • Biophysics
  • Computational biology

Background:

  • Eukaryotic cells possess a dynamic cytoskeleton for mechanical support.
  • Cytoskeletal remodeling can exhibit large, avalanche-like displacements, termed 'cytoquakes'.
  • The underlying physics of cytoquakes remains poorly understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • Investigate the physics of cytoskeletal avalanches using simulations.
  • Analyze mechanical energy fluctuations within the cytoskeleton.
  • Understand the relationship between cytoquakes and cellular mechanical properties.

Main Methods:

  • Agent-based simulations of cytoskeletal self-organization.
  • Analysis of mechanical energy fluctuations and statistics.
  • Machine learning model to forecast cytoquakes using vibrational spectra.

Main Results:

  • Observed non-Gaussian statistics and asymmetric energy release rates.
  • Correlated large energy release events with collective filament displacements.
  • Identified asymmetric distributions in tension localization and network motion projections.
  • Mechanical instability was found to precede cytoquake occurrences.

Conclusions:

  • Cytoskeletal avalanches represent a process of slow energy storage followed by rapid energy release.
  • Cytoquakes involve collective cytoskeletal rearrangement and are linked to mechanical instability.
  • Findings connect cytoquakes to network mechanical energy and susceptibility.