8,514 research outputs found
L-selectin mediated leukocyte tethering in shear flow is controlled by multiple contacts and cytoskeletal anchorage facilitating fast rebinding events
L-selectin mediated tethers result in leukocyte rolling only above a
threshold in shear. Here we present biophysical modeling based on recently
published data from flow chamber experiments (Dwir et al., J. Cell Biol. 163:
649-659, 2003) which supports the interpretation that L-selectin mediated
tethers below the shear threshold correspond to single L-selectin carbohydrate
bonds dissociating on the time scale of milliseconds, whereas L-selectin
mediated tethers above the shear threshold are stabilized by multiple bonds and
fast rebinding of broken bonds, resulting in tether lifetimes on the timescale
of seconds. Our calculations for cluster dissociation suggest that
the single molecule rebinding rate is of the order of Hz. A similar
estimate results if increased tether dissociation for tail-truncated L-selectin
mutants above the shear threshold is modeled as diffusive escape of single
receptors from the rebinding region due to increased mobility. Using computer
simulations, we show that our model yields first order dissociation kinetics
and exponential dependence of tether dissociation rates on shear stress. Our
results suggest that multiple contacts, cytoskeletal anchorage of L-selectin
and local rebinding of ligand play important roles in L-selectin tether
stabilization and progression of tethers into persistent rolling on endothelial
surfaces.Comment: 9 pages, Revtex, 4 Postscript figures include
On the diameter of random planar graphs
We show that the diameter D(G_n) of a random labelled connected planar graph
with n vertices is equal to n^{1/4+o(1)}, in probability. More precisely there
exists a constant c>0 such that the probability that D(G_n) lies in the
interval (n^{1/4-\epsilon},n^{1/4+\epsilon}) is greater than
1-\exp(-n^{c\epsilon}) for {\epsilon} small enough and n>n_0(\epsilon). We
prove similar statements for 2-connected and 3-connected planar graphs and
maps.Comment: 24 pages, 7 figure
Stochastic modeling for the COMET-assay
We present a stochastic model for single cell gel electrophoresis (COMET-assay) data. Essential is the use of point process structures, renewal theory and reduction to intensity histograms for further data analysis
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