SoftBio Theory Seminar: Cell division in silico: how actin constricts the membrane

To divide, our cells must generate coherent forces across their entire diameter. They do this by assembling nanometre-scale building blocks into a contractile ring that pinches the membrane from within. But how can such small components produce reliable forces over tens of micrometres?

In this talk, we will develop a minimal computational model to study the mechanics of cell division. After identifying the key principles behind a functional contractile ring, we will show that its constriction mechanism is remarkably robust to perturbations, from actin turnover to membrane mechanics. Such robustness may inform the engineering of synthetic cell division and help explain why this fundamental machinery has been conserved through evolution.