Mobility Gradient Induces Cross-Streamline Migration of Semiflexible Polymers
2012-04-10 | journal article; research paper. A publication with affiliation to the University of Göttingen.
Jump to: Cite & Linked | Documents & Media | Details | Version history
Documents & Media
Details
- Authors
- Steinhauser, Dagmar; Köster, Sarah ; Pfohl, Thomas
- Abstract
- Many aspects of modern material science and biology rely on the strategic manipulation and understanding of polymer dynamics in confining micro- and nanoflow. We directly observe and analyze nonequilibrium structural and dynamic properties of individual semiflexible actin filaments in pressure-driven microfluidic channel flow using fluorescence microscopy. Different conformational shapes, such as filaments fluctuating in an elongated manner, parabolically bent, as well as tumbling, are identified. With increasing flow velocity, a strong center-of-mass migration toward the channel walls is observed. This significant migration effect can be explained by a shear rate dependent spatial diffusivity due to a gradient in chain mobility of the semiflexible polymers.
- Issue Date
- 10-April-2012
- Journal
- ACS Macro Letters
- Organization
- Institut für Röntgenphysik
- Working Group
- RG Köster (Cellular Biophysics)
- ISSN
- 2161-1653
- Language
- English
- Subject(s)
- cytoskeleton; cellular biophysics; microfluidics