Physical mechanism of the compressive response of F-actin networks: significance of crosslinker unbinding events

Abstract

A model of crosslinker unbinding is implemented in a highly coarse-grained granular model of F-actin cytoskeleton. We employ this specific granular model to study the mechanisms of the compressive responses of F-actin networks. It is found that the compressive response of F-actin cytoskeleton has dependency on the strain rate. The evolution of deformation energy in the network indicates that crosslinker unbinding events can induce the remodelling of F-actin cytoskeleton in response to external loadings. The internal stress in F-actin cytoskeleton can efficiently dissipate with the help of crosslinker unbinding, which could lead to the spontaneous relaxation of living cells.

Keywords

• F-actin cytoskeleton
• coarse-grained
• crosslinker unbinding
• compressive response