Crosslink dynamics in a model of two filaments of actin under shear

We seek to elucidate the dynamic mechanisms underlying the stress dependent effects of the cellular cytoskeleton, as they are observed in the storage and loss modulus as a function of frequency and cross-linker concentration. We report on the statistical behavior of the effects originating from cross-linker dynamics in the basic constituent of a cytoskeleton network: two mutually cross-linked filaments. We model each of the filaments and the cross-linkers in terms of elastic finite elements. Unbinding of individual cross-linkers takes place through a realistic constitutive model and re-binding may occur to maintain the average cross-linker density. Our approach provides a direct analysis of the athermal interplay of the elastic filament interactions with the dynamics of the cross-linking molecules.