Osmotically Driven Shape Transformations in Axons

Abstract

We report a cylindrical-peristaltic shape transformation in axons exposed to a controlled osmotic perturbation. The peristaltic shape relaxes and the axon recovers its original geometry within minutes. We show that the shape instability depends critically on swelling rate and that volume and membrane area regulation are responsible for the shape relaxation. We propose that volume regulation occurs via leakage of ions driven by elastic pressure, and analyse the peristaltic shape dynamics taking into account the internal structure of the axon. The results obtained provide a framework for understanding peristaltic shape dynamics in nerve fibers occurring in vivo.

4 pages, 4 figures. Accepted for publication in Physical Review Letters

Cited by in corpus (6)

• Active elasticity drives the formation of periodic beading in damaged axons
• Elastic Plateau-Rayleigh instability in soft cylinders: Surface elasticity and periodic beading
• Mem3DG: Modeling Membrane Mechanochemical Dynamics in 3D using Discrete Differential Geometry
• Absolute vs Convective Instabilities and Front Propagation in Lipid Membrane Tubes
• Renormalized mechanics and stochastic thermodynamics of growing vesicles
• The irreversible thermodynamics of curved lipid membranes II: Permeability and osmosis