Gravitational symmetry breaking leads to a polar liquid crystal phase of microtubules in vitro. (bibtex)
by J. A. Tuszynski, M. V. Sataric, S. Portet and J. M. Dixon
Abstract:
Recent space-flight experiments performed by Tabony's team provided further evidence that a microgravity environment strongly affects the spatio-temporal organization of microtubule assemblies. Characteristic time and length scales were found that govern the organization of oriented bundles under Earth's gravitational field (GF). No such organization has been observed in a microgravity environment. This paper discusses physical mechanisms resulting in pattern formation under gravity and its disappearance in microgravity. The subtle interplay between chemical kinetics, diffusion, gravitational drift, thermal fluctuations, electrostatic interactions and liquid crystalline characteristics provides a plausible scenario.
Reference:
Gravitational symmetry breaking leads to a polar liquid crystal phase of microtubules in vitro. (J. A. Tuszynski, M. V. Sataric, S. Portet and J. M. Dixon), In Journal of Biological Physics, volume 31, 2005.
Bibtex Entry:
@ARTICLE{Tuszynski2005,
  author = {J. A. Tuszynski and M. V. Sataric and S. Portet and J. M. Dixon},
  title = {Gravitational symmetry breaking leads to a polar liquid crystal phase
	of microtubules in vitro.},
  journal = {Journal of Biological Physics},
  year = {2005},
  volume = {31},
  pages = {477--486},
  number = {3-4},
  month = {Dec},
  abstract = {Recent space-flight experiments performed by Tabony's team provided
	further evidence that a microgravity environment strongly affects
	the spatio-temporal organization of microtubule assemblies. Characteristic
	time and length scales were found that govern the organization of
	oriented bundles under Earth's gravitational field (GF). No such
	organization has been observed in a microgravity environment. This
	paper discusses physical mechanisms resulting in pattern formation
	under gravity and its disappearance in microgravity. The subtle interplay
	between chemical kinetics, diffusion, gravitational drift, thermal
	fluctuations, electrostatic interactions and liquid crystalline characteristics
	provides a plausible scenario.},
  doi = {10.1007/s10867-005-7284-5},
  institution = {Department of Physics, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G
	2J1 Canada.},
  language = {eng},
  medline-pst = {ppublish},
  owner = {sportet},
  pii = {7284},
  pmid = {23345912},
  timestamp = {2013.11.13},
  url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10867-005-7284-5}
}
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