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Recent Computational Approaches on Mechanical Behavior of Axonal Cytoskeletal Components of Neuron: A Brief Review

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Abstract

Axonal cytoskeletal components of neuron have been studied and modeled by using different approaches. The axonal cytoskeleton comprises of microtubules (MTs), which mostly control the overall property and behavior of axon. However, MTs contain crosslinks which are MT associated proteins (mainly tau proteins), intermediate filaments (mainly neurofilaments or NFs in case of brain axon), and microfilaments (MFs). Due to the micrometer level length scale of the components, experimental approaches such as microscopy are inconvenient. In this regard, several computational approaches, such as fully atomistic molecular dynamics (MD) simulation, coarse grained (CG) simulation, or finite element analysis (FEA) can be considered reasonable approaches for observing the behavior of the cytoskeletal components and determining their mechanical properties. Among the cytoskeletal components, MTs and MFs are well studied, but the behavior of taus and NFs are not studied comprehensively. Over the last two decades, the computational approaches have been improved manifold to determine and analyze numerous aspects of cytoskeletal components. Due to structurally disordered nature of tau and NF we lack sufficient literature on these components, almost all the structural and behavioral aspects have been analyzed in depth for MT and MF – for which computational studies have played vital role. This study attempts to discuss the current scenario of these computational approaches performed on cytoskeletal components, as well as recent advancements. It attempts to benchmark the current capability of computational approaches to find out properties, behavior, and dynamics of cytoskeletal components, which is required to further advance using similar maneuvers. Importantly, we also pinpoint the possibilities of future studies through which the current limitations in the tau and NF territories can be effectively addressed.

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Acknowledgements and Funding

This work has been funded by the Computational Cellular Biology of Blast (C2B2) program through the Office of Naval Research (ONR) (Award # N00014-18–1-2082- Dr. Timothy Bentley, Program Manager).

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  1. Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX, 76019, USA

    Md Ishak Khan, Fuad Hasan, Khandakar Abu Hasan Al Mahmud & Ashfaq Adnan

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M.I.K. collected and interpreted the literature reviews. A.A. contributed in revising the manuscript. F.H. and K.A.M. contributed in reviewing the manuscript.

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Khan, M.I., Hasan, F., Mahmud, K.A.H.A. et al. Recent Computational Approaches on Mechanical Behavior of Axonal Cytoskeletal Components of Neuron: A Brief Review. Multiscale Sci. Eng. 2, 199–213 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42493-020-00043-4

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