title: Rheology of active filament solutions.
abstract: We study the viscoelasticity of an active solution of polar biofilaments and motor proteins. Using a molecular model, we derive the constitutive equations for the stress tensor in the isotropic phase and in phases with liquid crystalline order. The stress relaxation in the various phases is discussed. Contractile activity is responsible for a spectacular difference in the viscoelastic properties on opposite sides of the order-disorder transition.
authors.affiliation: Department of Applied Mathematics, University of Leeds, Woodhouse Lane, Leeds LS2 9JT, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: T B
authors.initials: TB
authors.lastname: Liverpool
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Marchetti
mesh_terms: D004548:Elasticity; D008956:Models, Chemical; D020409:Molecular Motor Proteins / Q000737:chemistry*; D012212:Rheology; D012996:Solutions; D014783:Viscosity
chemical_list: D020409:Molecular Motor Proteins; D012996:Solutions