Polymerization of actin filaments is the primary source of motility in lamellipodia and it is controlled by a variety of regulatory proteins. The underlying molecular mechanisms are only partially understood and a precise determination of dynamical properties of force generation is necessary. Using optical tweezers, we have measured with millisecond (ms) temporal resolution and picoNewton (pN) sensitivity the force-velocity (Fv) relationship and the power dissipated by lamellipodia of dorsal root ganglia neurons. When force and velocity are averaged over 3-5 s, the Fv relationships can be flat. On a finer timescale, random occurrence of fast growth and subsecond retractions become predominant. The maximal power dissipated by lamellipodia over a silica bead with a diameter of 1 mu m is 10(-16) W. Our results clarify the dynamical properties of force generation: i), force generation is a probabilistic process; ii), underlying biological events have a bandwidth up to at least 10 Hz; and iii), fast growth of lamellipodia leading edge alternates with local retractions.

Force generation in lamellipodia is a probabilistic process with fast growth and retraction events / Shahapure, R; Difato, F; Laio, Alessandro; Bisson, G; Ercolini, Erika; Amin, Ladan; Ferrari, E; Torre, Vincent. - In: BIOPHYSICAL JOURNAL. - ISSN 0006-3495. - 98:6(2010), pp. 979-988. [10.1016/j.bpj.2009.11.041]

Force generation in lamellipodia is a probabilistic process with fast growth and retraction events

Laio, Alessandro;Ercolini, Erika;Amin, Ladan;Torre, Vincent
2010-01-01

Abstract

Polymerization of actin filaments is the primary source of motility in lamellipodia and it is controlled by a variety of regulatory proteins. The underlying molecular mechanisms are only partially understood and a precise determination of dynamical properties of force generation is necessary. Using optical tweezers, we have measured with millisecond (ms) temporal resolution and picoNewton (pN) sensitivity the force-velocity (Fv) relationship and the power dissipated by lamellipodia of dorsal root ganglia neurons. When force and velocity are averaged over 3-5 s, the Fv relationships can be flat. On a finer timescale, random occurrence of fast growth and subsecond retractions become predominant. The maximal power dissipated by lamellipodia over a silica bead with a diameter of 1 mu m is 10(-16) W. Our results clarify the dynamical properties of force generation: i), force generation is a probabilistic process; ii), underlying biological events have a bandwidth up to at least 10 Hz; and iii), fast growth of lamellipodia leading edge alternates with local retractions.
2010
98
6
979
988
10.1016/j.bpj.2009.11.041
http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC2849058
Shahapure, R; Difato, F; Laio, Alessandro; Bisson, G; Ercolini, Erika; Amin, Ladan; Ferrari, E; Torre, Vincent
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11767/12509
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