Attachment Force Research Articles

Comparison of tarsal attachment in two closely related leaf beetle species

Green dock beetles Gastrophysa viridula and Colorado potato beetles Leptinotarsa decemlineata having distinctly different body mass and gait habits were compared with respect to their tarsal morphology and attachment ability. The focus laid on shapes and dimensions of tenent setae related to the peeling line, i.e., the sum of widths of all thin-film elements participating in contact. High-speed rotation of the two leaf beetle species attached to the horizontal and vertical sides of a Plexiglass drum resulted in higher attachment forces of the heavier beetle species that has a larger number of tarsal setae and a larger peeling line length. However, normalizing the measured forces with the corresponding peeling line lengths led to a reversed relationship. This allowed us to assume that the design of adhesive setae in different leaf beetle species matches the requirements imposed by their habitats. In accordance with the theory of thin film peeling, tangential forces were found to be higher than normal forces. The attachment system of females was found to exhibit stronger functional efficiency, which can be correlated to the morphology of their setae.

Oviposition preference and adult performance of the whitefly predator Serangium japonicum (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae): effect of leaf microstructure associated with ladybeetle attachment ability

The leaf surface microstructure can greatly influence predator feeding behavior. However, its effects on predator oviposition preference, which is crucial for arthropod fitness at the population level, are largely unknown. This study aimed to test leaf discs and plants of five common host plant species of Bemisia tabaci, including Chinese kale, cotton, cucumber, eggplant, and sweetpotato, to determine the oviposition preference and offspring and adult performance of the whitefly predator Serangium japonicum. Cannibalism risk, attachment force, microstructure of the abaxial leaf surface (ALS), and ladybeetle tarsal morphology were examined. Ladybeetle's oviposition preference had no correlation with offspring performance but positively correlated with fecundity. Further, oviposition preference to leaf discs and fecundity positively correlated with attachment force. The cannibalism risk was not significantly different between plant species. The ALS of Chinese kale and eggplant supported the smallest and the largest attachment forces, respectively. The first one had epicuticular wax crystals, whereas the latter had stellate trichomes. The ALS of cotton and sweetpotato did not bear wax crystals or long trichomes. Cucumber leaves were covered with tapered trichomes. Tenant setae on the distal second tarsomere and a pair of curved, tapered claws on the distal fourth tarsomere were the attachment structures of S. japonicum, which interacted with the plant surface structures and generated the attachment force. Plant morphological traits, associated with ladybeetle attachment force and adult performance might be key factors in ladybeetle oviposition preference, and are expected to occur in other host plant herbivore-predator systems.

The Influence of Material and Roughness on the Settlement and the Adhesive Strength of the Barnacle Balanus Improvisus in the Baltic Sea

Under natural conditions, barnacles, one of the most prominent marine hardfouling organisms, encounter a vast variety of heterogeneous surfaces including artificial ones, such as ship hulls on which they adhere efficiently. Despite intensive research in the last decades, it is still not clear, how material related factors influence the fouling development under natural conditions, and whether roughness at a microscale affects the release dynamics of barnacles. In order to shed light on the relationship between these substrate factors and their effect on biofouling, both settlement and fouling development of Balanus (=Amphibalanus) improvisus was evaluated on epoxy resin and polyvinylsiloxane (PVS) substrates differing in their roughness (flat, asperity sizes: 0.3µm, 1µm, 3µm, 9µm, 12µm) in a static field trial in the Baltic Sea for 17 weeks performed in 2014. All barnacles on these tested surfaces were individually tracked on a weekly basis, in order to calculate the release to settlement ratios (r/s), to evaluate the fouling- release performance and to monitor the actual attachment duration. It was demonstrated that both stiffness and surface free energy had no strong effect on initial settlement. The total fouling accumulation was nearly identical for epoxy resin and PVS, if fallen-off barnacles were included in the analysis. Roughness influenced initial settlement and fouling development. On PVS the r/s nged between 0.5-0.7 and the attachment duration was around four weeks. However, samples with a roughness of 9µm displayed a lower r/s ratio (0.35) and barnacles showed longer attachment durations (8 weeks). In a second field trial performed in 2017, attachment forces of barnacles were measured after the samples had been immersed for 10 weeks in the Baltic Sea. The shear stresses obtained were similar for substrates with different roughness with around 0.12 MPa and were independent of the barnacle’s size. These findings show that roughness even at the micro scale can impact the fouling release ability of a surface.

Material properties of human patellar-ligament grafts from the elderly population

The aim of the presented study was to estimate the material properties of human patellar ligaments from the elderly population by means of tensile tests. The experimental part was conducted on a custom tensile-testing device, with a built-in enclosure to simulate in-vivo conditions, using 25 (15 female, 10 male) bone-ligament-bone samples from elderly (age 83 (8)) human donors. During the tensile tests, the resultant force and displacement of the sample attachments were recorded. With this data and the values of the initial length and the initial cross-sectional area of the samples, the engineering stress and strain, the Young's modulus and the toughness at rupture were calculated for each sample. The results were then averaged and presented for all the samples together and for the female and male populations separately. The measured Young's modulus and the failure stress values were found to be significantly higher for the female samples compared to the male (p < 0.05). All the other measured properties did not show a significant difference. The toe region's material properties for the patellar ligament were also presented as valuable information for the anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction. The tensile-test results were compared to other research carried on human patellar ligaments using samples from younger donors. The comparison showed that the samples from the elderly population exhibit lower values of strain at the end of the toe region and have a lower failure strain for the patellar ligament. The Young's modulus and the failure stress of the samples in this study were in the range of other research conducted on patellar ligaments.

Adhesion Performance in the Eggs of the Philippine Leaf Insect Phyllium Philippinicum (Phasmatodea: Phylliidae).

Leaf insects (Phasmatodea: Phylliidae) exhibit perfect crypsis imitating leaves. Although the special appearance of the eggs of the species Phyllium philippinicum, which imitate plant seeds, has received attention in different taxonomic studies, the attachment capability of the eggs remains rather anecdotical. We herein elucidate the specialized attachment mechanism of the eggs of this species and provide the first experimental approach to systematically characterize the functional properties of their adhesion by using different microscopy techniques and attachment force measurements on substrates with differing degrees of roughness and surface chemistry, as well as repetitive attachment/detachment cycles while under the influence of water contact. We found that a combination of folded exochorionic structures (pinnae) and a film of adhesive secretion contribute to attachment, which both respond to water. Adhesion is initiated by the glue, which becomes fluid through hydration, enabling adaption to the surface profile. Hierarchically structured pinnae support the spreading of the glue and reinforcement of the film. This combination aids the egg’s surface in adapting to the surface roughness, yet the attachment strength is additionally influenced by the egg’s surface chemistry, favoring hydrophilic substrates. Repetitive detachment and water-mediated adhesion can optimize the location of the egg to ensure suitable environmental conditions for embryonic development. Furthermore, this repeatable and water-controlled adhesion mechanism can stimulate further research for biomimeticists, ecologists and conservationalists.

Direct measurement of interaction force between solid surface and air bubble: Relationship between interaction force and contact angle

Estimating the hydrophobicity of a solid surface is important for flotation process. Measuring the contact angle or interaction force between air bubbles and a solid surface has been widely used for evaluating the hydrophobicity of surfaces. However, the correlation between the contact angle and interaction force was not be fully explained because contact angle was measured on a macroscale surface and interaction force was measured on a microscale surface (ranging nm2 – μm2) using atomic force microscopy. In this study, we directly measured the macroscale surface – air bubble interaction force in terms of attachment force and detachment energy. We then correlated our measured attachment force and detachment energy values with the static contact angle of specimen surface. The attachment force (Fa) and detachment energy in phase 2 (E2) represented the hydrophobicity of specimen surface. And Fa and Ed in phase 2 were found to have an exponential relationship until 90° of the surface contact angle.

CENP-F stabilizes kinetochore-microtubule attachments and limits dynein stripping of corona cargoes.

Accurate chromosome segregation demands efficient capture of microtubules by kinetochores and their conversion to stable bioriented attachments that can congress and then segregate chromosomes. An early event is the shedding of the outermost fibrous corona layer of the kinetochore following microtubule attachment. Centromere protein F (CENP-F) is part of the corona, contains two microtubule-binding domains, and physically associates with dynein motor regulators. Here, we have combined CRISPR gene editing and engineered separation-of-function mutants to define how CENP-F contributes to kinetochore function. We show that the two microtubule-binding domains make distinct contributions to attachment stability and force transduction but are dispensable for chromosome congression. We further identify a specialized domain that functions to limit the dynein-mediated stripping of corona cargoes through a direct interaction with Nde1. This antagonistic activity is crucial for maintaining the required corona composition and ensuring efficient kinetochore biorientation.

Effects of aligned electrospun fibers with different diameters on hemocompatibility, cell behaviors and inflammation in vitro

An endothelial cell (EC) monolayer aligned along the direction of blood flow in vivo shows excellent capacity for anti-inflammation and anti-thrombosis. Therefore, aligned electrospun fibers have been much studied in the field of vascular implants since they are considered to facilitate the formation of an aligned EC monolayer, yet few research studies have been comprehensively reported concerning the effects of diameter scales of aligned fibers. In the present work, a series of aligned polycaprolactone (PCL) electrospun fibers with varying diameters ranging from dozens of nanometers to several micrometers were developed, and the effects of the fiber scales on EC behaviors, hemocompatibility as well as inflammatory cell behaviors were investigated, to evaluate their potential performance in the field of vascular implants. Our results showed that platelets exhibited small attachment forces on all fibers, and the anticoagulation property improved with the decrease of the fiber diameters. The impact of fiber diameters on human umbilical vein endothelial cell (HUVEC) adhesion and NO release was limited, while significant on HUVEC proliferation. With the increase of the fiber diameters, the elongation of HUVECs on our samples increased first then decreased, and exhibited maximum elongation degrees on 2738 nm and 2036 nm due to the strong contact guidance effect on these graphical cues; too thick or too fine fibers would weaken the contact guidance effect. Furthermore, we hypothesized that HUVECs cultured on 2036 nm had the smallest spreading area because of their elongation, but 2738 nm restricted HUVECs spreading limitedly. Similarly, NO production of HUVECs showed a similar change trend as their elongation degrees on different fibers. Except for 2036 nm, it exhibited the second highest NO production. For RAW 264.7 cells, poorer cell adhesion and lower TNF-α concentration of 1456 nm indicated its superior anti-inflammation property, while 73 nm showed a contrasting performance. Overall, these findings partly revealed the relationship between different topographies and cell behaviors, providing basic insight into vascular implant design.

Vertical Fibrous Morphology and Structure-Function Relationship in Natural and Biomimetic Suction-Based Adhesion Discs

Summary Recent years have seen rapid development in bio-inspired materials for adhesion. However, it remains challenging to realize robust adhesion on rough aquatic surfaces. An inspiring natural model is the remora fish, which has evolved to retain powerful adhesion to hosts using a dorsal suction disc. We find that the remora suction disc has a unique fibrous architecture of vertically oriented collagen fibers that enable anisotropic mechanical properties and enhanced adhesion performance. In the engineered prototype, vertically oriented nylon fibers are embedded into the soft silicone matrix using electrostatic flocking. The anisotropic mechanical properties are validated in both natural and biomimetic suction discs. Furthermore, the biomimetic suction disc demonstrates an enhanced adhesion function with a maximum 62.5% increase in pull-off force and a 340% increase in attachment time compared with the silicone control. This work can shed light on natural adhesion mechanisms and inspire novel designs for aquatic soft adhesives and actuators.

Mechanisms of chromosome biorientation and bipolar spindle assembly analyzed by computational modeling.

The essential functions required for mitotic spindle assembly and chromosome biorientation and segregation are not fully understood, despite extensive study. To illuminate the combinations of ingredients most important to align and segregate chromosomes and simultaneously assemble a bipolar spindle, we developed a computational model of fission-yeast mitosis. Robust chromosome biorientation requires progressive restriction of attachment geometry, destabilization of misaligned attachments, and attachment force dependence. Large spindle length fluctuations can occur when the kinetochore-microtubule attachment lifetime is long. The primary spindle force generators are kinesin-5 motors and crosslinkers in early mitosis, while interkinetochore stretch becomes important after biorientation. The same mechanisms that contribute to persistent biorientation lead to segregation of chromosomes to the poles after anaphase onset. This model therefore provides a framework to interrogate key requirements for robust chromosome biorientation, spindle length regulation, and force generation in the spindle.

Quantitative Analysis of Attachment Time of Air Bubbles to Solid Surfaces in Water.

The attachment of air bubbles to solid surfaces in water is encountered in many natural processes and industrial applications. It has been established that the attachment can occur between hydrophobic surfaces and air bubbles. In this paper, we present novel experimental results to quantify the attachment in terms of the attachment time. We show that the attachment time can be determined from either the transient force curve or the transient film thickness. These techniques for determining the attachment time are based on the fact that the rupture of a thin liquid film produces a large attachment force and a rapid expansion of the three-phase contact radius in comparison with the expansion of the film radius. The experimental results are quantitatively analyzed using thin-film drainage theory and intermolecular forces, which include the advanced multilayer van der Waals force and the electrical double-layer force. The advanced van der Waals force theory allows us to incorporate the effect of interfacial gas enrichment (IGE) of dissolved gas in water at hydrophobic surfaces on the bubble-surface attachment. Critically, if the presence of IGE is ignored, the experimental results do not agree with the theory. Finally, IGE is shown to be a significant factor in controlling hydrophobic attraction between an air bubble and a hydrophobic surface and their attachment.

Investigating the normal and tangential peeling behaviour of gecko spatulae using a coupled adhesion-friction model

ABSTRACT The present work investigates the normal and tangential peeling behaviour of a gecko spatula using a coupled adhesion-friction model. The objective is to explain the strong attachment and easy detachment behaviour of the spatulae as well as to understand the influence of various parameters on the pull-off forces. Using nonlinear finite element computations, it is shown that during tangentially-constrained peeling the partial sliding of the spatula pad near the peeling front stretches the spatula, thus increasing the strain energy and leading to high pull-off forces. The model is used to investigate the influence of various parameters on the pull-off forces – such as the peeling angle, spatula shaft angle, strip thickness, and material stiffness. The model shows that increasing the spatula pad thickness beyond a certain level does not lead to a significant increase in the attachment forces. Further, the easy detachment behaviour of geckos is studied under tangentially-free peeling conditions. It is found that the spatulae readily detach from the substrate by changing their shaft angle and eventually peel vertically like a tape. Since the present computational model is not limited by geometrical, kinematical, and material restrictions, it can be employed to analyse similar biological adhesive systems.

Attachment and adhesion force between biogas bubbles and anaerobic granular sludge in the up-flow anaerobic sludge blanket

The performance of the up-flow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) is significantly governed by the hydrodynamics of the reactor. Though the influence of hydrodynamics on mass transfer, granular size distribution, and biogas production was well studied, the interaction between biogas bubbles and anaerobic granular sludge (AGS) is poorly understood. This study used the impinging-jet technique and bubble probe atomic force microscope (AFM) to investigate the attachment and adhesion force between biogas bubbles (CH4 and CO2) and AGS. The fluxes of normalized CH4 or CO2 bubble-attachment on two kinds of AGS were directly affected by gas velocity and decreased with an increase in the Reynolds number ranged from 40 to 140. The bubble-attachment had a positive linear relationship with the contact angles, ratio of exopolymeric protein and polysaccharide, and hydrophilic functional groups of AGS. A bubble probe AFM was used to explore the adhesion force between a single bubble and AGS. The results indicated that the adhesion force between the bubbles and the two kinds of AGS also decreased with increasing approach velocity. Overall, these results contribute to a new insight into the understanding of interaction between biogas bubbles and AGS in UASB reactors.

Effects of type of magnet attachment and implant angulation in two implant overdenture models.

PURPOSEThe purpose of this study is to evaluate the effects of type of magnet attachment and implant angulation in two implant overdenture models.MATERIALS AND METHODSMagnet attachments used in this study were flat and dome types (MGT5515, MGT5520D, Dentium Co., Seoul, Korea). Two implants with keepers were inserted in the resin blocks at a distance of 24 mm. For the first model, the implants were parallel to the vertical and perpendicular to the horizontal; for the second model, both were angulated 5 degrees to the mesial; for the third model, both were angulated 10 degrees toward the mesial. The retentive force was measured in both vertical and lateral directions. Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS software version 22.0 (α=.05).RESULTSThe flat type magnet attachment showed the highest lateral retentive force in the 20° divergent group (P<.05) and the dome type magnet attachment showed the highest lateral retentive force in the parallel group (P<.05). The vertical and lateral retentive force of the dome type magnet attachment was greater than that of the flat type magnet attachment in every direction (P<.05).CONCLUSIONWithin the limitations of this study, the dome shape magnet attachment can resist vertical and lateral retentive force more superiorly than the flat type magnet attachment, regardless of angle, in the mandibular two implant model.

Retention force of all-zirconia, all-polyetheretherketone, and zirconia-polyetheretherketone telescopic attachments for implant-retained overdentures: In vitro comparative study

Aim: The aim was to evaluate and compare retention forces of all-zirconia (ZrO2), all-polyetheretherketone (PEEK), and ZrO2-PEEK Computer-Aided-Designing computer-Aided -Manufacturing (CAD-CAM) telescopic attachments for two implant-retained mandibular overdentures. Materials and Methods: Fifteen identical acrylic resin models of the edentulous mandibular arch without alveolar undercuts were fabricated. Two implants were inserted in the canine region of each model. According to the material of telescopic attachment, models were divided into three groups: all ZrO2 (ZZ): primary and secondary crowns were made of ZrO2, all PEEK (PP): primary and secondary crowns were made of PEEK, and ZrO2-PEEK (ZP): primary crowns were made of ZrO2 and secondary ones were made of PEEK. Identical experimental overdentures were constructed for all models. For measuring the retention force, a universal testing machine was used to apply a pull-off test in presence of artificial saliva between the crowns. The achieved maximum values of retention force were recorded at the beginning of the study (initial retention) and after 540 cycles of insertion and removal simulating 6 months of the clinical service (final retention). Results were statistically analyzed, analysis of variance (P Results: ZP group reported the highest initial force values for all groups. The final retention values of PP and ZP groups were significantly decreased than initial values, while the insignificant loss of retention was observed with ZZ group (P = 0.06). Independent samples test showed a significant difference in both initial and final retentions between each two groups. Conclusion: Within the limitations of this study, ZrO2 is more preferred as a secondary telescopic crown against a primary ZrO2 one. Despite the loss of retention by time, PEEK can still be used as a secondary telescopic crown against ZrO2 or PEEK primary crowns regarding the acceptable initial and final retention values.

A comparison of the retentive force of ball and socket attachment versus magnet attachment in mandibular overdentures: A randomized control trial

Aim: To compare the retention and patient satisfaction of implant-supported mandibular overdentures with ball and socket attachment versus magnet attachment. Materials and Methods: Twenty-four participants (10 males and 14 females) were divided into two equal groups (n = 12). Both groups received implant-supported mandibular overdentures retained by ball and magnet attachment. Two implants were installed in the canine region bilaterally. Evaluation of retention was made at overdenture insertion, 3, 6, and 12 months. Patient satisfaction evaluation with Oral Health Impact Profile Questionnaire-14 (OHIP-14) was made at overdenture insertion 3, and 12 months subsequently. Results: The ball group showed a statistically significantly higher retention force (P < 0.05) than the magnet group at insertion, 3 and 6 months. The ball group had a statistically significantly lower mean of physical disability and physical pain (P < 0.05) than the magnet group through all follow-up. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) test was used to compare between groups as well as to study the changes by time within each group. Conclusion: Both implant-supported mandibular overdenture retained with magnet or ball and socket attachments consider a successful treatment option with superior improvement in the ball and socket group.

Attachment performance of stick insects (Phasmatodea) on convex substrates.

Phasmatodea (stick and leaf insects) are herbivorous insects well camouflaged on plant substrates as a result of cryptic masquerade. Also, their close association with plants has allowed them to adapt to different substrate geometries and surface topographies of the plants they imitate. Stick insects are gaining increasing attention in attachment- and locomotion-focused research. However, most studies experimentally investigating stick insect attachment have been performed either on single attachment pads or on flat surfaces. In contrast, curved surfaces, especially twigs or stems of plants, are dominant substrates for phytophagous insects, but not much is known about the influence of curvature on their attachment. In this study, by combining analysis of tarsal usage with mechanical traction and pull-off force measurements, we investigated the attachment performance on curved substrates with different diameters in two species of stick insects with different tarsal lengths. We provide the first quantitative data for forces generated by stick insects on convex curved substrates and show that the curvature significantly influences attachment ability in both species. Within the studied range of substrate curvatures, traction force decreases and pull-off force increases with increasing curvature. Shorter tarsi demonstrate reduced forces; however, tarsus length only has an influence for diameters thinner than the tarsal length. The attachment force generally depends on the number of tarsi/tarsomeres in contact, tarsus/leg orientation and body posture on the surface. Pull-off force is also influenced by the tibiotarsal angle, with higher pull-off force for lower angles, while traction force is mainly influenced by load, i.e. adduction force.

On the surface tension role in bubble growth and detachment in a micro-tube

The role of surface tension in the mechanism of bubble growth and detachment for a co-flowing air-water two-phase flow in a micro-tube is addressed. A numerical investigation for a horizontal axisymmetric flow with the assumption of zero gravity and an upward flow accounting for gravity contribution is carried out. The continuous liquid phase is flowing in a tube of 500 μm inner diameter and the gas phase is axially injected through a nozzle of 110 μm inner diameter and 210 μm outer diameter. A single-fluid model is used to determine the flow field, solving the continuity and momentum equations associated with the volume of fluid method for interface tracking. An open source software, OpenFOAM, is utilized for solving numerically this problem. The prediction results show that the surface tension plays a double role. First, it keeps the bubble attached to the injection nozzle during bubble growth and neck formation. Then, it destabilizes the interface by pinching off the neck in the immediate vicinity of the nozzle at about a distance of 0.5 the nozzle diameter rather than right at the nozzle exit. In-depth analysis of the mechanism of bubble formation induced by the effect of surface tension is carried out. It is highlighted that this latter acts as an attachment force at the injection nozzle during the bubble growth and it acts over the entire interface of the bubble yielding the formation of a neck. Later, the capillary effects reduce the diameter of the neck until it breaks and yields the detachment of the bubble. Further investigation at the nozzle wall allows depicting the motion of the contact line during the process of bubble growth and its significant effect on the bubble formation.

Nucleation and growth of bubbles on plagioclase crystals during experimental decompression degassing of andesitic melts

The nucleation, growth and attachment/detachment of gas bubbles on crystals in silicate melts is one of the key drivers of volcanic eruptions and can greatly influence their explosivity. Formerly, oxides were considered the best candidates for heterogeneous bubble nucleation, but recent studies showed that silicate crystals can also be bubble nucleation sites at 1atmosphere (atm). This study examines whether bubbles can nucleate on plagioclase crystal surfaces during decompression, which is a more common natural situation than 1atm degassing. Experimental samples were synthesised from andesitic rock powder, H2O and plagioclase seed crystals, and melted and decompressed in a piston-cylinder apparatus. The products were imaged with 3D X-ray computed tomography. Due to partial melting, the plagioclase crystals developed sieve rims and rough crystal-melt interfaces. All plagioclase crystals in all samples were covered with bubbles. Bubble size distribution comparisons between bubbles in contact with plagioclase and bubbles in the melt, show that bubbles belong to two populations, generated by two different events, one of which is heterogeneous nucleation on plagioclase crystal surfaces and the other is homogeneous nucleation within the melt, the latter potentially accompanied by heterogeneous nucleation on oxide microlite surfaces. The calculated attachment force between the bubbles and the plagioclase surface is stronger than the detachment force; hence, such bubbles would remain attached during crystal movements. In our experiments, the net buoyancy of the bubble-crystal aggregates indicates that they could sink in an andesitic melt. Our findings highlight the need to reconsider the role of plagioclase crystals in magmatic degassing and shows interesting possibilities for magma mixing-triggered degassing.

Computational model demonstrates that Ndc80-associated proteins strengthen kinetochore-microtubule attachments in metaphase.

Chromosome segregation is mediated by spindle microtubules that attach to the kinetochore via dynamic protein complexes, such as Ndc80, Ska, Cdt1 and ch-TOG during mitotic metaphase. While experimental studies have previously shown that these proteins and protein complexes are all essential for maintaining a stable kinetochore-microtubule (kMT) interface, their exact roles in the mitotic metaphase remains elusive. In this study, we employed experimental and computational methods in order to characterize how these proteins can strengthen kMT attachments in both nonload-bearing and load-bearing conditions, typical of prometaphase and metaphase, respectively. Immunofluorescence staining of HeLa cells showed that the levels of Ska and Cdt1 significantly increased from prometaphase to metaphase, while levels of the Ndc80 complex remained unchanged. Our new computational model showed that by incorporating binding and unbinding of each protein complex coupled with a biased diffusion mechanism, the displacement of a possible complex formed by Ndc80-Ska-Cdt1 is significantly higher than that of Ndc80 alone or Ndc80-Ska. In addition, when we incorporate Ndc80/ch-TOG in the model, rupture force and time of attachment of the kMT interface increases. These results support the hypothesis that Ndc80-associated proteins strengthen kMT attachments, and that the interplay between kMT protein complexes in metaphase ensures stable attachments.