Balance of forces and torques in a mean-field approximation in mitotic spindles

Diobeno vreteno je stanična struktura koja je odgovorna za raspodjelu genetskog materijala medu stanicama kćeri, a sastoji se od mikrotubula i pridruženih proteina. Sile i momenti sila igraju ključnu ulogu u funkcioniranju vretena te su odgovorni za pomicanje kromosoma i održavanje njegove grade, a važnu ulogu igraju elastična svojstva mikrotubula. Međutim, sile i momente nije lako odrediti današnjim eksperimentalnim tehnikama. U ovom teorijskom istraživanju uvodimo model za ravnotežu sila i momenata sila u diobenom vretenu. Korištenjem aproksimacije srednjeg polja opisujemo sve mikrotubule u diobenom vretenu, kao i sile i momente sila koje djeluju na njih. Model daje predvidanja za oblik diobenog vretena. Dobivene rezultate planiramo usporediti s eksperimentalno određenim oblicima koje su dobili naši suradnici. Teorijska predviđanja dobivena ovim modelom, zajedno s eksperimentima, trebala bi odgovoriti na pitanje kolike sile djeluju u diobenom vretenu. The mitotic spindle is a cellular structure which is responsible for the partition of genetic material when a cell divides into two daughter cells. It is comprised of microtubules and accompanying proteins. Forces and torques play a key role in the functioning of the spindle, for they are chiefly responsible for the movement of chromosomes and maintaining the overall shape of the spindle. This is facilitated by the elastic properties of microtubules. The forces and torques are, however, hard to determine with contemporary experimental techniques. In this theoretical research we develop a model for the balance of forces and torques in a mitotic spindle. Using a mean-field approximation we describe all microtubules in a mitotic spindle and the forces acting upon them. The model gives a prediction for the shape of the spindle. The results are to be matched to experimental imaging done by our associates, with the aim of answering what magnitude of forces and torques act in mitotic spindles.