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Figure 1 | BMC Biophysics

Figure 1

From: The biophysical nature of cells: potential cell behaviours revealed by analytical and computational studies of cell surface mechanics

Figure 1

Cell surface mechanics.(A) Illustration of the three main forces regulating the cell surface mechanics: adhesion-driven tension, cortical tension and pressure. Adhesion is described as a constant tension J along the surface (green arrows). The cortical tension is described by an elastic tension with equilibrium length P and elasticity constant of λ p (orange spring). (B) The interfacial tension is defined as the altogether adhesion-driven and cortical tensions. (C) Deformations away from the cell’s target area A generates a pressure Π (white arrows).

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