MODELS FOR THE LENGTH DISTRIBUTIONS OF ACTIN-FILAMENTS - I - SIMPLE POLYMERIZATION AND FRAGMENTATION

We studied mathematical models for the length distributions of actin f ilaments under the effects of polymerization/depolymerization, and fra gmentation. In this paper, we emphasize the effects of these two proce sses acting alone. In this case, simple discrete and continuous models can be derived and solved explicitly (in several special cases), maki ng the problem interesting from a modeling and pedagogical point of vi ew. In a companion paper (Ermentrout and Edelstein-Keshet, 1998, Bull. Math. Biol. 60, 477-503) we investigate what happens when the process es act together, with particular attention to fragmentation by gelsoli n, and with a greater level of biological detail. (C) 1998 Society for Mathematical Biology.