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Published online November 10, 2008
doi:10.1083/jcb.200806149
The Journal of Cell Biology, Vol. 183, No. 4, 583-587
The Rockefeller University Press, 0021-9525 $30.00
© 2008 Brangwynne et al.
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Cytoplasmic diffusion: molecular motors mix it up



Clifford P. Brangwynne1, Gijsje H. Koenderink1,2,3, Frederick C. MacKintosh4, and David A. Weitz1,2

1 School of Engineering and Applied Sciences and 2 Department of Physics, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138
3 Foundation for Fundamental Research on Matter Institute for Atomic and Molecular Physics, 1098 SJ Amsterdam, Netherlands
4 Department of Physics and Astronomy, Vrije Universiteit, 1081 HV Amsterdam, Netherlands

Correspondence to David A. Weitz: weitz{at}seas.harvard.edu; or Frederick C. MacKintosh: fcm{at}nat.vu.nl

Random motion within the cytoplasm gives rise to molecular diffusion; this motion is essential to many biological processes. However, in addition to thermal Brownian motion, the cytoplasm also undergoes constant agitation caused by the activity of molecular motors and other nonequilibrium cellular processes. Here, we discuss recent work that suggests this activity can give rise to cytoplasmic motion that has the appearance of diffusion but is significantly enhanced in its magnitude and which can play an important biological role, particularly in cytoskeletal assembly.

C.P. Brangwynne's present address is Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, 01307 Dresden, Germany.

© 2008 Brangwynne et al. This article is distributed under the terms of an Attribution–Noncommercial–Share Alike–No Mirror Sites license for the first six months after the publication date (see http://www.jcb.org/misc/terms.shtml). After six months it is available under a Creative Commons License (Attribution–Noncommercial–Share Alike 3.0 Unported license, as described at http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/).


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