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Two-Phase Acto-Cytosolic Fluid Flow in a Moving Keratocyte: A 2D Continuum Model

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Abstract

The F-actin network and cytosol in the lamellipodia of crawling cells flow in a centripetal pattern and spout-like form, respectively. We have numerically studied this two-phase flow in the realistic geometry of a moving keratocyte. Cytosol has been treated as a low viscosity Newtonian fluid flowing through the high viscosity porous medium of F-actin network. Other involved phenomena including myosin activity, adhesion friction, and interphase interaction are also discussed to provide an overall view of this problem. Adopting a two-phase coupled model by myosin concentration, we have found new accurate perspectives of acto-cytosolic flow and pressure fields, myosin distribution, as well as the distribution of effective forces across the lamellipodia of a keratocyte with stationary shape. The order of magnitude method is also used to determine the contribution of forces in the internal dynamics of lamellipodia.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Center of Excellence in Energy Conversion, School of Mechanical Engineering, Sharif University of Technology, Tehran, Iran

    M. R. Nikmaneshi, B. Firoozabadi & M. S. Saidi

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  1. M. R. Nikmaneshi
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  2. B. Firoozabadi
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  3. M. S. Saidi
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Correspondence to B. Firoozabadi.

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Nikmaneshi, M.R., Firoozabadi, B. & Saidi, M.S. Two-Phase Acto-Cytosolic Fluid Flow in a Moving Keratocyte: A 2D Continuum Model. Bull Math Biol 77, 1813–1832 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11538-015-0105-5

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