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Science 19 January 2007:
Vol. 315. no. 5810, pp. 370 - 373
DOI: 10.1126/science.1134404
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Reports

Nonequilibrium Mechanics of Active Cytoskeletal Networks

Daisuke Mizuno,1 Catherine Tardin,1 C. F. Schmidt,1,2* F. C. MacKintosh1*

Cells both actively generate and sensitively react to forces through their mechanical framework, the cytoskeleton, which is a nonequilibrium composite material including polymers and motor proteins. We measured the dynamics and mechanical properties of a simple three-component model system consisting of myosin II, actin filaments, and cross-linkers. In this system, stresses arising from motor activity controlled the cytoskeletal network mechanics, increasing stiffness by a factor of nearly 100 and qualitatively changing the viscoelastic response of the network in an adenosine triphosphate–dependent manner. We present a quantitative theoretical model connecting the large-scale properties of this active gel to molecular force generation.

1 Department of Physics and Astronomy, Vrije Universiteit, 1081HV Amsterdam, Netherlands.
2 III. Physikalisches Institut, Fakultät für Physik, Georg-August-Universität, 37077 Göttingen, Germany.

* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: cfs{at}nat.vu.nl (C.F.S.); fcm{at}nat.vu.nl (F.C.M.)

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Science. ISSN 0036-8075 (print), 1095-9203 (online)