Nanofluidics in cellular tubes under oscillatory extension

Membrane nanotubes or tethers extruded from cells exhibit dynamic features that are believed to exhibit viscoelastic rheological properties. We have performed typical microrheology experiments on tethers pulled from red blood cells by measuring the force response to small oscillatory extensions or c...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Europhysics letters 2008-10, Vol.84 (1), p.18004-18004(6 )
Main Authors: Nassoy, P, Cuvelier, D, Bruinsma, R, Brochard-Wyart, F
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
47.60.Dx
87.16.dm
87.85.gf
Biological Physics
Physics
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Summary:Membrane nanotubes or tethers extruded from cells exhibit dynamic features that are believed to exhibit viscoelastic rheological properties. We have performed typical microrheology experiments on tethers pulled from red blood cells by measuring the force response to small oscillatory extensions or compressions. Our data, supported by a simple theoretical model, show that the force response does not reflect any intrinsic viscoelastic properties of the tethers themselves, but instead is dominated by the drainage of the internal cellular fluid into and out of the oscillating nanoconduit over a frequency-dependent penetration depth. The simplicity of tether rheology suggests its usage as a probe for measuring the local viscosity of the cytosol near the plasma membrane.
ISSN:0295-5075
1286-4854
DOI:10.1209/0295-5075/84/18004