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American Physical Society, Physical Review Letters, 16(90), 2003

DOI: 10.1103/physrevlett.90.168102

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Motion of an Adhesive Gel in a Swelling Gradient: A Mechanism for Cell Locomotion

Journal article published in 2003 by Jean-François Joanny, Frank Jülicher, Jacques Prost
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This paper is available in a repository.

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Abstract

Motivated by the motion of nematode sperm cells, we present a model for the motion of an adhesive gel on a solid substrate. The gel polymerizes at the leading edge and depolymerizes at the rear. The motion results from a competition between a self-generated swelling gradient and the adhesion on the substrate. The resulting stress provokes the rupture of the adhesion points and allows for the motion. The model predicts an unusual force-velocity relation which depends in significant ways on the point of application of the force. ; Comment: 4 pages, 1 figure