The two-component model for the cytoskeleton in development (Q2276900)

Important work [starting with \textit{G. M. Odell}, \textit{G. Oster}, \textit{P. Alberch} and \textit{B. Burnside}, The mechanical basis of morphogenesis. 1: Epithelial folding and invagination. Developmental Biology 85, 446-462 (1981)] has shown that spatial order may arise from interaction between calcium ions and viscoelastic properties of cells. In this paper, a new model is presented for the deformation of cytoskeleton in developing cells and tissues. This model treats the actin filament and microtubule networks as continuous, distinct but interpenetrating and interacting viscoelastic media. A set of dynamical equations is derived for the displacement in the two networks incorporating the influence of intracellular calcium and cross- linking of fibres between the networks. Linear and nonlinear stability analyses show that instabilities in the undeformed state may occur for appropriate parameter values and time dependent deformations are dominated by the long wavelength modes of the system. The nature of the solutions for large deformations is discussed; these could explain the origin of forces responsible for tissue invagination.