Cell migration over heterogeneous substrates during wound healing or morphogenetic processes leads to shape changes driven by different organizations of the actin cytoskeleton and by functional changes including lamellipodial protrusions and contractile actin cables. Cells distinguish between cell-sized positive and negative curvatures in their physical environment by forming protrusions at positive ones and actin cables at negative ones; however, the cellular mechanisms remain unclear. Here, we report that concave edges promote polarized actin structures with actin flow directed towards the cell edge, in contrast to well-documented retrograde flow at convex edges. Anterograde flow and contractility induce a tension anisotropy gradient. A polarized actin network is formed, accompanied by a local polymerization-depolymerization gradient, together with leading-edge contractile actin cables in the front. These cables extend onto non-adherent regions while still maintaining contact with the substrate through focal adhesions. The contraction and dynamic reorganization of this actin structure allows forward movements enabling cell migration over non-adherent regions on the substrate. These versatile functional structures may help cells sense and navigate their environment by adapting to external geometric and mechanical cues.
We study the propagation of extremely short electromagnetic three-dimensional bipolar pulses in an array of semiconductor carbon nanotubes. The heterogeneity of the pulse field along the axis of the nanotubes is accounted for the first time. The evolution of the electromagnetic field and the charge density of the sample are described by Maxwell's equations supplemented by the continuity equation. Our analysis reveals for the first time the possibility of propagation of three-dimensional electromagnetic breathers in CNTs arrays. Specifically, we found that the propagation of short electromagnetic pulse induces a redistribution of the electron density in the sample. V
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