Biomaterial Database

Raft instability of biopolymer gels. 2001

I Borukhov, and R F Bruinsma

Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095-1569, USA.

Following recent x-ray diffraction experiments by Wong, Li, and Safinya on biopolymer gels, we apply Onsager excluded volume theory to a nematic mixture of rigid rods and strong " pi/2" cross-linkers obtaining a long-ranged, highly anisotropic depletion attraction between the linkers. This attraction leads to breakdown of the percolation theory for this class of gels, to breakdown of Onsager's second-order virial method, and to formation of heterogeneities in the form of raftlike ribbons.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008841	Actin Cytoskeleton	Fibers composed of MICROFILAMENT PROTEINS, which are predominately ACTIN. They are the smallest of the cytoskeletal filaments.	Actin Filaments,Microfilaments,Actin Microfilaments,Actin Cytoskeletons,Actin Filament,Actin Microfilament,Cytoskeleton, Actin,Cytoskeletons, Actin,Filament, Actin,Filaments, Actin,Microfilament,Microfilament, Actin,Microfilaments, Actin
D008956	Models, Chemical	Theoretical representations that simulate the behavior or activity of chemical processes or phenomena; includes the use of mathematical equations, computers, and other electronic equipment.	Chemical Models,Chemical Model,Model, Chemical
D004247	DNA	A deoxyribonucleotide polymer that is the primary genetic material of all cells. Eukaryotic and prokaryotic organisms normally contain DNA in a double-stranded state, yet several important biological processes transiently involve single-stranded regions. DNA, which consists of a polysugar-phosphate backbone possessing projections of purines (adenine and guanine) and pyrimidines (thymine and cytosine), forms a double helix that is held together by hydrogen bonds between these purines and pyrimidines (adenine to thymine and guanine to cytosine).	DNA, Double-Stranded,Deoxyribonucleic Acid,ds-DNA,DNA, Double Stranded,Double-Stranded DNA,ds DNA
D004548	Elasticity	Resistance and recovery from distortion of shape.
D005782	Gels	Colloids with a solid continuous phase and liquid as the dispersed phase; gels may be unstable when, due to temperature or other cause, the solid phase liquefies; the resulting colloid is called a sol.
D000199	Actins	Filamentous proteins that are the main constituent of the thin filaments of muscle fibers. The filaments (known also as filamentous or F-actin) can be dissociated into their globular subunits; each subunit is composed of a single polypeptide 375 amino acids long. This is known as globular or G-actin. In conjunction with MYOSINS, actin is responsible for the contraction and relaxation of muscle.	F-Actin,G-Actin,Actin,Isoactin,N-Actin,alpha-Actin,alpha-Isoactin,beta-Actin,gamma-Actin,F Actin,G Actin,N Actin,alpha Actin,alpha Isoactin,beta Actin,gamma Actin
D001703	Biophysics	The study of PHYSICAL PHENOMENA and PHYSICAL PROCESSES as applied to living things.	Mechanobiology
D001704	Biopolymers	Polymers synthesized by living organisms. They play a role in the formation of macromolecular structures and are synthesized via the covalent linkage of biological molecules, especially AMINO ACIDS; NUCLEOTIDES; and CARBOHYDRATES.	Bioplastics,Bioplastic,Biopolymer
D055592	Biophysical Phenomena	The physical characteristics and processes of biological systems.	Biophysical Concepts,Biophysical Processes,Biophysical Phenomenon,Biophysical Process,Biophysical Concept,Concept, Biophysical,Concepts, Biophysical,Phenomena, Biophysical,Phenomenon, Biophysical,Process, Biophysical,Processes, Biophysical