Curvature instability of an active gel growing on a wavy membrane
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arXiv
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| Format: | Preprint |
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2025
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| _version_ | 1866912660897923072 |
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| author | Mihali, Kristiana Wörthmüller, Dennis Sens, Pierre |
| author_facet | Mihali, Kristiana Wörthmüller, Dennis Sens, Pierre |
| contents | Cell shape changes are largely controlled by the actin cytoskeleton, a dynamic filament network beneath the plasma membrane. Several cell types can form extended free-standing protrusions not supported by an extracellular substrate or matrix, and regulated by proteins that modulate cytoskeletal dynamics in a way sensitive to the curvature of the cell membrane. We develop a theoretical model for the mechanics of a free-standing viscous actin network growing on a corrugated membrane. The model couples the dynamics of the viscous active gel with membrane deformation and the recruitment of curvature-sensitive actin nucleators. We show that an actin layer polymerising uniformly on the membrane always exerts a stabilising effect that reduces membrane deformation. However, curvature-sensitive actin nucleator proteins can render the membrane linearly unstable, depending on the interplay between membrane and actin dynamics, giving rise to spontaneous membrane deformation which could initiate extended free-standing cellular protrusion. |
| format | Preprint |
| id |
arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2510_17701 |
| institution | arXiv |
| publishDate | 2025 |
| record_format | arxiv |
| spellingShingle | Curvature instability of an active gel growing on a wavy membrane Mihali, Kristiana Wörthmüller, Dennis Sens, Pierre Soft Condensed Matter Biological Physics Cell Behavior Cell shape changes are largely controlled by the actin cytoskeleton, a dynamic filament network beneath the plasma membrane. Several cell types can form extended free-standing protrusions not supported by an extracellular substrate or matrix, and regulated by proteins that modulate cytoskeletal dynamics in a way sensitive to the curvature of the cell membrane. We develop a theoretical model for the mechanics of a free-standing viscous actin network growing on a corrugated membrane. The model couples the dynamics of the viscous active gel with membrane deformation and the recruitment of curvature-sensitive actin nucleators. We show that an actin layer polymerising uniformly on the membrane always exerts a stabilising effect that reduces membrane deformation. However, curvature-sensitive actin nucleator proteins can render the membrane linearly unstable, depending on the interplay between membrane and actin dynamics, giving rise to spontaneous membrane deformation which could initiate extended free-standing cellular protrusion. |
| title | Curvature instability of an active gel growing on a wavy membrane |
| topic | Soft Condensed Matter Biological Physics Cell Behavior |
| url | https://arxiv.org/abs/2510.17701 |