The effects of the surrounding viscoelastic media on the buckling behavior of single microfilament within the cell: A mechanical model

Abstract

In the present study, a mechanical model is applied to account the effects of the surrounding viscoelastic media on the buckling behavior of single microfilament within the cell. The model immeasurably associates filament\'s bending rigidity, neighboring system elasticity, and cytosol viscosity with buckling wavelengths, buckling growth rates and buckling amplitudes of the filament. Cytoskeleton components in living cell bear large compressive force and are responsible in maintaining the cell shape. Actually these filaments are surrounded by viscoelastic media consisting of other filaments network and viscous cytosole within the cell. This surrounding, viscoelastic media affects the buckling behavior of these filaments when external force is applied on these filaments. The obtained results, indicate that the coupling of viscoelastic media with the viscous cytosol greatly affect the buckling behavior of microfilament. The buckling forces increased with the increase in the intensity of surrounding viscoelastic media.