Competing instabilities reveal how to rationally design and control active crosslinked gels.

ABSTRACT: How active stresses generated by molecular motors set the large-scale mechanics of the cell cytoskeleton remains poorly understood. Here, we combine experiments and theory to demonstrate how the emergent properties of a biomimetic active crosslinked gel depend on the properties of its microscopic constituents. We show that an extensile nematic elastomer exhibits two distinct activity-driven instabilities, spontaneously bending in-plane or buckling out-of-plane depending on its composition. Molecular motors play a dual antagonistic role, fluidizing or stiffening the gel depending on the ATP concentration. We demonstrate how active and elastic stresses are set by each component, providing estimates for the active gel theory parameters. Finally, activity and elasticity were manipulated in sit

SUBMITTER: Najma B 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9617906 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature