title: The actin cortex as an active wetting layer.
abstract: Using active gel theory we study theoretically the properties of the cortical actin layer of animal cells. The cortical layer is described as a non-equilibrium wetting film on the cell membrane. The actin density is approximately constant in the layer and jumps to zero at its edge. The layer thickness is determined by the ratio of the polymerization velocity and the depolymerization rate of actin.
authors.affiliation: Physico Chimie Curie (Institut Curie, Cnrs UMR 168, UPMC), Institut Curie Centre de Recherche, 26 rue d'Ulm, 75248, Paris Cedex 05, France.
authors.forename: J-F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Joanny
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kruse
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Prost
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ramaswamy
mesh_terms: D000199:Actins / Q000737:chemistry*; D000818:Animals; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000737:chemistry; D006367:HeLa Cells; D006801:Humans; D057927:Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions; D008956:Models, Chemical; D009038:Motion; D058105:Polymerization
chemical_list: D000199:Actins