Self-organized cyclic patterns in muscles and microscopic swimming [Elektronische Ressource] / vorgelegt von Stefan Günther

Self-organized cyclic patterns in musclesand microscopic swimmingStefan GüntherSelf-organized cyclic patternsin musclesand microscopic swimmingDissertationzur Erlangung des Grades des Doktors der Naturwissenschaftender Naturwissenschaftlich-Technischen Fakultät II– Physik und Mechatronik –der Universität des Saarlandesvorgelegt vonStefan GüntherSaarbrücken, 2009Tag des Kolloquiums19. November 2009Dekan der Fakultät Physik und MechatronikUniv.-Prof. Dr.rer.nat. Christoph BecherMitglieder des PrüfungsausschussesUniv.-Prof. Dr.rer.nat. Albrecht Ott (Vorsitzender)Univ.-Prof. Dr.phil.nat. Dr.rer.nat. Karsten KruseUniv.-Prof. Dr.rer.nat. Heiko RiegerPriv.-Doz. Dr.rer.nat. Patrick HuberAbstractLiving cells are self-sustained units of organisms. Within cellsthe complex interplay of a high amount of proteins and othermolecules relies on information that is encoded in the dna. Theself-organisation of cellular constituents might play an importantrole in cellular activity. There is evidence for self-organization in thecytoskeleton of cells where small numbers of interacting proteinscreate patterns of a higher order. The cytoskeleton of muscles hasbeen shown to exhibit cyclic behaviour and wave patterns in absenceof regulatory mechanisms. This thesis provides evidence that theexperimental results can be accounted for by the self-organizationof cytoskeletal filaments and motor proteins. A microscopic modelexposes that the dynamics is excitable.