Dynamic properties of bio-motile systems with a liquid-crystalline structure. (13th April 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Ishiwata, Shin'ichi; Miyazaki, Makito; Sato, Katsuhiko; Nakagome, Koutaro; Shintani, Seine A.; Kobirumaki-Shimozawa, Fuyu; Fukuda, Norio; Suzuki, Kazuya; Takagi, Jun; Shimamoto, Yuta; Itabashi, Takeshi
• Is Part Of: Molecular crystals and liquid crystals. Volume 647(2017)
• Page Start: 127
• Page End: 150
• Publication Date: 2017-04-13
• Subjects: Striated muscle -- SPOC -- Cytoskeleton -- Meiotic spindle -- Artificial cell; Molecular crystals -- Periodicals; Liquid crystals -- Periodicals; Liquid crystals; Molecular crystals; Periodicals; 548
• DOI: 10.1080/15421406.2017.1289445
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1542-1406

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Bio-motile systems have liquid-crystalline structures. This review first describes the contractile system of striated muscle having a smectic liquid crystalline structure. We here report the muscle's auto-oscillatory property named spontaneous oscillatory contraction (SPOC)[1], and a mathematical model to explain its mechanism[2, 3] . Also, sarcomere dynamics observed during heartbeat are described. The second topic is the micromechanics of the meiotic spindle, a bipolar assembly of microtubules with chromosomes[4] . The third topic is the demonstration of a contractile actin ring spontaneously formed inside a water-in-oil droplet, which can be considered as an artificial cell model[5] .