Direct Cytoskeleton Forces Cause Membrane Softening in Red Blood Cells

Abstract

(Biophysical Journal 108, 2794–2806; June 16, 2015) There was a mistake published in the expression given in the Supplementary Information section for the temporal height-height correlation function, calculated for the active forces (Eq.S3.2). The correct expression should beC(q,t)=ponnm(f0Λq)2ωq2−ωact2(e−ωactt−ωactωqe−ωqt) So that in the limit of ωact→ωq we do not get any divergenceC(q,t)→ponnm(f0Λq)2ωq(ωq+ωact)e−ωactt The same correlator was recently calculated for the dynamics of an active polymer [Gladrow, J., et al. “Broken Detailed Balance of Filament Dynamics in Active Networks.” Physical Review Letters 116.24 (2016): 248301]. Direct Cytoskeleton Forces Cause Membrane Softening in Red Blood CellsRodríguez-García et al.Biophysical JournalJune 16, 2015In BriefErythrocytes are flexible cells specialized in the systemic transport of oxygen in vertebrates. This physiological function is connected to their outstanding ability to deform in passing through narrow capillaries. In recent years, there has been an influx of experimental evidence of enhanced cell-shape fluctuations related to metabolically driven activity of the erythroid membrane skeleton. However, no direct observation of the active cytoskeleton forces has yet been reported to our knowledge. Here, we show experimental evidence of the presence of temporally correlated forces superposed over the thermal fluctuations of the erythrocyte membrane. Full-Text PDF Open Archive