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| Research article summary (published 30 Dec 2001): |
Numerical simulations of microtubule self-organisation by reaction and diffusion.
Full Abstract
This article addresses the physical chemical processes underlying biological self-organisation by which a homogenous solution of reacting chemicals spontaneously self-organises. Theoreticians have predicted that self-organisation can arise from a coupling of reactive processes with molecular diffusion. In addition, the presence of an external field, such as gravity, at a critical moment early in the process may determine the morphology that subsequently develops. The formation, in-vitro, of microtubules, a constituent of the cellular skeleton, shows this type of behaviour. The preparations spontaneously self-organise by reaction-diffusion and the morphology that develops depends upon the presence of gravity at a critical bifurcation time early in the process. Here, we present numerical simulations of a population of microtubules that reproduce this behaviour. Microtubules can grow from one end whilst shrinking from the other. The shrinking end leaves behind a chemical trail of high tubulin concentration. Neighbouring microtubules preferentially grow into these regions, whilst avoiding regions of low tubulin concentration. The chemical trails produced by individual microtubules thus activate and inhibit the formation of neighbouring microtubules and this progressively leads to self-organisation. Gravity acts by way of its directional interaction with the macroscopic density fluctuations present in the solution arising from microtubule disassembly.
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Author information
Author/s: Glade, Nicolas (N); Demongeot, Jacques (J); Tabony, James (J);
Affiliation: Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique, Département Réponse et Dynamique Cellulaires, Laboratoire d'Immunochimie, INSERM U548, D.S.V, C.E.A. Grenoble, 17 rue des Martyrs, 38054 Grenoble 9, France.
Journal and publication information
Publication Type: Journal Article
Journal: Acta biotheoretica (Acta Biotheor), published in Netherlands. (Language: eng)
Reference: 2002-; vol 50 (issue 4) : pp 239-68
Dates: Created 2003/04/04; Completed 2003/07/15; Revised 2004/11/17;
PMID: 12675530, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 11/6/2008)
Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.
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