Non-Linear Physics and Out of Equilibrium Systems. NOLIN

Modeling in Cell Biology

The spatial organization of the molecules participating in a particular signaling pathway may be particularly relevant for processes of cell polarization and cell locomotion. The polarization of the cell precedes the activation of the cytoskeleton, which is responsible for division or locomotion. Cell motion is produced by the push at the membrane of the actin microfilament network, forming the cytoskeleton. The attachment of the filaments at the membrane is controlled by proteins which have certain affinity for the proteins involved in the polarization process. For example the viscoelastic properties of the cytoskeleton or a difference on diffusion coefficients of biochemical species can produce these domains of high concentration.

 

Current Projects

 

  • Biophysics of polarization and amoeboid motion of living cells

Funded by the MINECO (Spain), Barcelona, Spain 2015-2017

  • Nonequilibrium Collective Dynamics in Condensed Matter and Biological Systems,

Funded by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinsachft (Germany), Berlin, Germany 2014-2018.

 

Related Publications

 

  • Pattern formation at cellular membranes by phosphorylation and dephosphorylation of proteins

    S. Alonso, to be publish in Nonlinear Dynamics in Biological Systems, Springer (2016).

  • Oscillations and uniaxial mechanochemical waves in a model of an active poroelastic medium: Application to deformation patterns in protoplasmic droplets of Physarum polycephalum.

    S. Alonso, U. Strachauer, M. Radszuweit, M. Bär, and M. J. B. Hauser, Physica D 318, 58-69 (2016).

  • Modeling domain formation of MARCKS and protein kinase C at cellular membranes

    S. Alonso and M. Bär, EPJ Nonlinear Biomedical Physics 2, 1 (2014).

  • Intracellular mechanochemical waves in an active poroelastic model.

    M. Radszuweit, S. Alonso, H. Engel and M. Bär, Phys. Rev. Lett. 110, 138102 (2013).

  • Oscillations in the lateral pressure of lipid monolayers induced by nonlinear chemical dynamics of the second messengers MARCKS and Protein kinase C.

    S. Alonso, U. Dietrich, C. Händel, J. A. Käs and M. Bär. Biophys. J. 100, 939-947 (2011).

  • Self-Organization processes at active interfaces.

    S. Alonso, H.-Y. Chen, M. Bär and A. S. Mikhailov, Eur. Phys. J. Special Topics 191, 131-145 (2010).