Activity driven fluctuations in living cells

Abstract

We propose a model for the dynamics of a probe embedded in a living cell, where both thermal fluctuations and nonequilibrium activity coexist. The model is based on a confining harmonic potential describing the elastic cytoskeletal matrix, which undergoes random active hops as a result of the nonequilibrium rearrangements within the cell. We describe the probe's statistics and we bring forth quantities affected by the nonequilibrium activity. We find an excellent agreement between the predictions of our model and experimental results for tracers inside living cells. Finally, we exploit our model to arrive at quantitative predictions for the parameters characterizing nonequilibrium activity, such as the typical time scale of the activity and the amplitude of the active fluctuations.

6 pages, 4 figures

References in corpus (3)

• Non-equilibrium mechanics and dynamics of motor activated gels
• Effective Temperature of Red Blood Cell Membrane Fluctuations
• Energetics of active fluctuations in living cells

Cited by in corpus (4)

• Nonequilibrium mode-coupling theory for dense active systems of self-propelled particles
• On the generalized Langevin equation for a Rouse bead in a nonequilibrium bath
• Anomalous diffusion in viscoelastic media with active force dipoles
• Localization and diffusion of tracer particles in viscoelastic media with active force dipoles