BIOELECTRORHEOLOGICAL MODEL OF THE CELL .7. CELLULAR-DEFORMATION IN THE PRESENCE OF CYTOCHALASIN-B

The influence of cytochalasin B on the mechanical properties of Neuros pora crassa cells subjected to a periodic electric field was investiga ted Shear and extensional deformations were considered and studied sep arately. Conditions were found under which shear deformations become i rreversible. Rheologcal models helped in the interpretation of the res ults in terms of the different response to the shear stress of the thr ee hypothetical supramolecular regions of the membrane-skeleton networ k (F, S and 0). Rheological parameters for the above regions related t o the proposed models were calculated. The models were satisfactorily fitted to the experimental results. The influence of cytochalasin B on the course of extensional deformation of cells was investigated and c haracterized semiquantitatively. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.