title: Modeling the size distribution of focal adhesions.
abstract: We calculate the size distribution of two-dimensional aggregates, for different simple dynamical growth models. The resulting size distributions of these domains, at steady state, are shown to depend strongly on the mode of domain growth. We then compare to the measured size-distribution of focal-adhesion domains. Using our calculation and the measured exponential distribution of focal-adhesion domain lengths can be used to test the validity of recent models proposed to describe the dynamics of these complexes in adhering cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical Physics, The Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel. nirgov@wisemail.weizmann.ac.il
authors.forename: Nir S
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Gov
mesh_terms: D002448:Cell Adhesion; D003198:Computer Simulation; D022001:Focal Adhesions; D008954:Models, Biological