Microtubule Simulation Videos

The videos show microtubules tethered at their minus ends with kinesin motors walking up towards their plus ends. The effect of the kinesin is modeled as applying a force locally tangent to the microtubule. This causes an instability leading to steady state solutions that display travelling waves. In addition a uniform velocity field representing cytoplasmic streaming is also present.

1. Tethering at a plane with a velocity field perpendicular to the plane. This displays helical motion in steady state.
2. Tethering at a plane with a velocity field parallel to the plane. This becomes two dimensional similar to a prolate cycloidal shape in steady state.
3. At higher cytoplasmic streaming velocities the motion becomes more sinusoidal in character.