Hostname: page-component-77c89778f8-m8s7h Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-07-17T10:25:31.760Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Microtubular Teardrop Patterning and the Growing Process

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 February 2013

Kosuke Okeyoshi
Affiliation:
RIKEN, Advanced Science Institute, 2-1 Hirosawa Wako-shi, Saitama 351-0198, Japan Department of Materials Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8656, Japan
Kawamura Ryuzo
Affiliation:
RIKEN, Advanced Science Institute, 2-1 Hirosawa Wako-shi, Saitama 351-0198, Japan BioMedical Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, 1-1-1 Higashi, Tsukuba-shi, Ibaraki 305-8562, Japan
Yoshihito Osada
Affiliation:
RIKEN, Advanced Science Institute, 2-1 Hirosawa Wako-shi, Saitama 351-0198, Japan
Get access

Abstract

Here we show that microtubular bundles bend flexibly under a hydrodynamic flow to form teardrop patterns. In a highly concentrated microtubular solution, patterns of same-sized teardrops form according to the maximum critical curvature, which is determined by the specific rigidity of the microtubules. Our understanding is that these micropatterns grow when microtubular bundles with hydrodynamic flow energy are converted into stable teardrop patterns as a higher structure. This conversion is generated by the combined effect of multiple kinds of energy, including heat and hydrodynamic flow, as well as life systems. These self-generating patterns in a spatio-temporal stream are reminiscent of what the artist Edward Munch called a scream of nature. We also envision that microtubular pattering with hierarchical structure will broaden the potential application of these geometrical structures and guide biomimetic material engineering towards areas such as integrated energy conversion, soft material patterning, and living signal transduction.

Type
Articles
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2013

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Howard, J. Mechanics of motor proteins and the cytoskeleton. Snauer Associates, Inc. (2001).Google Scholar
Pampaloni, F., et al. . Thermal fluctuations of grafted microtubules provide evidence of a length-dependent persistence length. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 103, 10248 (2006).CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Venier, P., et al. . Analysis of microtubule rigidity using hydrodynamic flow and thermal Fluctuation. J. Biol. Chem. 269, 13353 (1994).Google Scholar
Sanchez, T., et al. . Cilia-like beating of active microtubule bundles. Science 333, 456 (2011).CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Liu, Y., et al. . Microtubule bundling and nested buckling drive stripe formation in polymerizing tubulin solutions. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 103, 10654 (2006).CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Needleman, D., et al. . Higher-order assembly of microtubules by counterions: From hexagonal bundles to living necklaces. Proc. Natl. Acad. Soc. USA 101, 16099 (2004).Google ScholarPubMed