Shear banding in an F-actin solution.
We report herein the first evidence that an F-actin solution shows shear banding, which is characterized by the spontaneous separation of homogeneous shear flow into two macroscopic domains of different definite shear rates. The constant shear stress observed in the F-actin solution is explained by the banded flow with volume fractions that obey the lever rule. Nonhomogenous reversible flows were observed in the F-actin solution with respect to upward and downward changes in the shear rate. This is the first time shear banding has been observed in a simple biomacromolecule. The biological implications and dynamic aspects of shear flow velocity characteristic patterns are discussed.
Department of Complex and Intelligent Systems, Faculty of Systems Information Science, Future University Hakodate, Kameda-nakano 116-2, Hakodate 041-8655, Japan.
Itsuki
I
Kunita
Katsuhiko
K
Sato
Yoshimi
Y
Tanaka
Yoshinori
Y
Takikawa
Hiroshi
H
Orihara
Toshiyuki
T
Nakagaki
D000199:Actins / Q000737:chemistry*; D008956:Models, Chemical; D012996:Solutions / Q000737:chemistry; D013314:Stress, Mechanical; D014783:Viscosity
D000199:Actins; D012996:Solutions