title: Two-Phase Acto-Cytosolic Fluid Flow in a Moving Keratocyte: A 2D Continuum Model.
abstract: The F-actin network and cytosol in the lamellipodia of crawling cells flow in a centripetal pattern and spout-like form, respectively. We have numerically studied this two-phase flow in the realistic geometry of a moving keratocyte. Cytosol has been treated as a low viscosity Newtonian fluid flowing through the high viscosity porous medium of F-actin network. Other involved phenomena including myosin activity, adhesion friction, and interphase interaction are also discussed to provide an overall view of this problem. Adopting a two-phase coupled model by myosin concentration, we have found new accurate perspectives of acto-cytosolic flow and pressure fields, myosin distribution, as well as the distribution of effective forces across the lamellipodia of a keratocyte with stationary shape. The order of magnitude method is also used to determine the contribution of forces in the internal dynamics of lamellipodia.
authors.affiliation: Center of Excellence in Energy Conversion, School of Mechanical Engineering, Sharif University of Technology, Tehran, Iran. Nikmaneshi@mech.sharif.edu.
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Nikmaneshi
authors.affiliation: Center of Excellence in Energy Conversion, School of Mechanical Engineering, Sharif University of Technology, Tehran, Iran. firoozabadi@sharif.edu.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Firoozabadi
authors.affiliation: Center of Excellence in Energy Conversion, School of Mechanical Engineering, Sharif University of Technology, Tehran, Iran. mssaidi@sharif.edu.
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Saidi
mesh_terms: D000199:Actins / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000502:physiology*; D003198:Computer Simulation; D060527:Corneal Keratocytes / Q000502:physiology; D003600:Cytosol / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D055641:Mathematical Concepts; D008954:Models, Biological; D012212:Rheology
chemical_list: D000199:Actins
keywords: Contractile stress; Cytosolic flow; F-actin flow; Focal adhesion; Myosin motor protein; Volume fraction