Biopolymer networks play a major role as part of the cytoskeleton. They provide
stable structures and act as a medium for signal transport. These features
encourage the application of such networks as organic computation devices.
While research on this topic is not advanced yet, previous results are very
promising. The protein actin in particular appears advantageous. It can be
arranged to various stable structures and transmit several signals. In this
study aster shaped networks were self-assembled via entropic forces by the
crowding agent methyl cellulose. These networks are characterised by a regular
and uniquely thick bundle structure, but have so far only been accounted in
droplets of 100 μm diameter. We report now regular asters in an area of a few
mm2 that could be observed even after months. Such stability outside of an
organism is striking and underlines the great potential actin aster networks
display
