409 citations · 2.2k across the 36 of their papers we have counts for
6 papers · 1 filter
Emergent structures and dynamics of cell colonies by contact inhibition of locomotion
Bart Smeets, Ricard Alert, Jiri Pesek +3
Cells in tissues can organize into a broad spectrum of structures according to their function. Drastic changes of organization, such as epithelial-mesenchymal transitions or the fo…
Fluidization and Active Thinning by Molecular Kinetics in Active Gels
David Oriola, Ricard Alert, Jaume Casademunt
We derive the constitutive equations of an active polar gel from a model for the dynamics of elastic molecules that link polar elements. Molecular binding kinetics induces the flui…
Formation of metastable phases by spinodal decomposition
Ricard Alert, Pietro Tierno, Jaume Casademunt
Metastable phases may be spontaneously formed from other metastable phases through nucleation. Here we demonstrate the spontaneous formation of a metastable phase from an unstable…
Bleb Nucleation through Membrane Peeling
Ricard Alert, Jaume Casademunt
We study the nucleation of blebs, i.e., protrusions arising from a local detachment of the membrane from the cortex of a cell. Based on a simple model of elastic linkers with force…
Model for probing membrane-cortex adhesion by micropipette aspiration and fluctuation spectroscopy
Ricard Alert, Jaume Casademunt, Jan Brugués +1
We propose a model for membrane-cortex adhesion which couples membrane deformations, hydrodynamics and kinetics of membrane-cortex ligands. In its simplest form, the model gives ex…
Landscape-Inversion Phase Transition in Dipolar Colloids: Tuning the Structure and Dynamics of 2D Crystals
Ricard Alert, Jaume Casademunt, Pietro Tierno
We study the 2D crystalline phases of paramagnetic colloidal particles with dipolar interactions and constrained on a periodic substrate. Combining theory, simulation, and experime…