Self-organizing actin patterns shape cytoskeletal cortex organization. Issue 3 (4th May 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Fritzsche, Marco
• Is Part Of: Communicative & integrative biology. Volume 10:Issue 3(2017)
• Publication Date: 2017-05-04
• Subjects: actin -- cortex -- membrane -- self-assembly -- self-organization; Biology -- Periodicals; Molecular biology -- Periodicals; 579.05
• DOI: 10.1080/19420889.2017.1303591
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1942-0889

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Living systems rely, for biological function, on the spatiotemporal organization of their structures. Cellular order naturally emerges by dissipation of energy. Consequently, energy-consuming processes operating far from thermodynamic equilibrium are a necessary condition to enable biological systems to respond to environmental cues that allow their transitions between different steady-states. Such self-organization was predicted for the actin cytoskeleton in theoretical considerations and has repeatedly been observed in cell-free systems. We now demonstrate in our recent work how self-organizing actin patterns such as vortices, stars, and asters may allow cells to adjust their membrane architecture without affecting their cell mechanical properties.