Aging and stress relaxation in an actin network
Résumé
Actin networks are an essential component of living cells, to which they impart the required mechnaical properties. Here, we study in-vitro cross-linked actin networks with a combination of rheology, microscopy and a novel space-resolved dynamic light scattering method. Our measurements suggest that the aging of the network is due to the progressive release of internal stresses, made possible by unbinding - rebinding events within the network.