Instabilities of isotropic solutions of active polar filaments

Tanniemola B. Liverpool, M. Cristina Marchetti

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

158 Scopus citations

Abstract

We study the dynamics of an isotropic solution of polar filaments coupled by molecular motors which generate relative motion of the filaments in two and three dimensions. We investigate the stability of the homogeneous state for constant motor concentration taking into account excluded volume and an estimate of entanglement. At low filament density the system develops a density instability, while at high density entanglement drives the instability of orientational fluctuations.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)138102
Number of pages1
JournalPhysical Review Letters
Volume90
Issue number13
StatePublished - Apr 4 2003

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Physics and Astronomy

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