FLUCTUATIONS IN LIVING CELLS AND INTRACELLULAR TRAFFIC

Theoretical estimates reveal the presence of strong thermal hydrodynam ic fluctuations in the cytoplasm of living cells. It is suggested here that these intensive fluctuations may be utilized by biological vesic les inside the cells to produce their directed drift to the targets. A possible mechanism of partial rectification of thermal fluctuations i s based on the effect of active navigation: i.e. on the controlled res ponse of vesicles to velocity fluctuations. (C) 1995 Academic Press Li mited