TY - JOUR
T1 - A Versatile Framework for Simulating the Dynamic Mechanical Structure of Cytoskeletal Networks
AU - Freedman, Simon L.
AU - Banerjee, Shiladitya
AU - Hocky, Glen M.
AU - Dinner, Aaron R.
N1 - Funding Information:
This research was supported in part by the University of Chicago Materials Research Science and Engineering Center (National Science Foundation grant 1420709). S.L.F. was supported by the Department of Defense through the NDSEG Program. G.M.H. was supported by an National Institutes of Health Ruth L. Kirschstein NRSA award (1F32GM113415-01). S.B. acknowledges support from the Institute for the Physics of Living Systems at the University College London.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2017 Biophysical Society
PY - 2017/7/25
Y1 - 2017/7/25
N2 - Computer simulations can aid in understanding how collective materials properties emerge from interactions between simple constituents. Here, we introduce a coarse-grained model that enables simulation of networks of actin filaments, myosin motors, and cross-linking proteins at biologically relevant time and length scales. We demonstrate that the model qualitatively and quantitatively captures a suite of trends observed experimentally, including the statistics of filament fluctuations, and mechanical responses to shear, motor motilities, and network rearrangements. We use the simulation to predict the viscoelastic scaling behavior of cross-linked actin networks, characterize the trajectories of actin in a myosin motility assay, and develop order parameters to measure contractility of a simulated actin network. The model can thus serve as a platform for interpretation and design of cytoskeletal materials experiments, as well as for further development of simulations incorporating active elements.
AB - Computer simulations can aid in understanding how collective materials properties emerge from interactions between simple constituents. Here, we introduce a coarse-grained model that enables simulation of networks of actin filaments, myosin motors, and cross-linking proteins at biologically relevant time and length scales. We demonstrate that the model qualitatively and quantitatively captures a suite of trends observed experimentally, including the statistics of filament fluctuations, and mechanical responses to shear, motor motilities, and network rearrangements. We use the simulation to predict the viscoelastic scaling behavior of cross-linked actin networks, characterize the trajectories of actin in a myosin motility assay, and develop order parameters to measure contractility of a simulated actin network. The model can thus serve as a platform for interpretation and design of cytoskeletal materials experiments, as well as for further development of simulations incorporating active elements.
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U2 - 10.1016/j.bpj.2017.06.003
DO - 10.1016/j.bpj.2017.06.003
M3 - Article
C2 - 28746855
AN - SCOPUS:85025580330
VL - 113
SP - 448
EP - 460
JO - Biophysical Journal
JF - Biophysical Journal
SN - 0006-3495
IS - 2
ER -