The browser you are using is not supported by this website. All versions of Internet Explorer are no longer supported, either by us or Microsoft (read more here: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/windows/end-of-ie-support).

Please use a modern browser to fully experience our website, such as the newest versions of Edge, Chrome, Firefox or Safari etc.

Photo of Henrik Jönsson

Henrik Jönsson

Visiting professor

Photo of Henrik Jönsson

Mean-field theory approach to three-dimensional nematic phase transitions in microtubules

Author

  • Cameron Gibson
  • Henrik Jönsson
  • Tamsin A. Spelman

Summary, in English

Microtubules are dynamic intracellular fibers that have been observed experimentally to undergo spontaneous self-alignment. We formulate a three-dimensional (3D) mean-field theory model to analyze the nematic phase transition of microtubules growing and interacting within a 3D space, then make a comparison with computational simulations. We identify a control parameter Geff and predict a unique critical value Geff=1.56 for which a phase transition can occur. Furthermore, we show both analytically and using simulations that this predicted critical value does not depend on the presence of zippering. The mean-field theory developed here provides an analytical estimate of microtubule patterning characteristics without running time-consuming simulations and is a step towards bridging scales from microtubule behavior to multicellular simulations.

Department/s

  • Centre for Environmental and Climate Science (CEC)

Publishing year

2023

Language

English

Publication/Series

Physical Review E

Volume

108

Issue

6

Document type

Journal article

Publisher

American Physical Society

Topic

  • Biophysics

Status

Published

ISBN/ISSN/Other

  • ISSN: 2470-0045