Simulating Microtubule Organization

The cytoskeleton is a filamentous network of microtubules, actin filaments, and intermediate filaments. They self-organize to create the spatially distinct organizations the cell needs for development, differentiation, division, and motility. We will use simulations to determine the self-organized patterns that derive from simple rules of engagement among filaments as they glide, polymerize, and interact. Jennifer Ross and Vikrant Yadav, UMass.