Biological Cell Mechanics
Interactions between the proteins actin and myosin generate the forces that enable cell movement and division. In the cell cortex, actin filaments and myosin motors are distributed at random. Experiments have shown that these disordered actomyosin networks generate contractile force, but the mechanism of contraction is unclear. We use agent-based modelling and numerical simulations to investigate how contraction occurs, and how this gives rise to pattern formation.
