Figure 1.

Creep response to uniaxial applied stress. (A) A schematic view of the simulated stress test. A cross-linked actin network is pinned at the –x boundary, and a stress (σ) is applied to the free +x boundary. (B) Snapshots of the deforming network at t = 0, 30, and 90 s with a relative filament turnover rate (n) = 0.1 and σ = 10 Pa. (C) Time evolution of network strain ($\epsilon$) as a function of time for n = 0.1 and σ = 0.2 Pa (green dashed line); n = 0.1 and σ = 10 Pa (blue dotted line); and n = 0 and σ = 10 Pa (red solid line). (D) A strain rate ($\dot{\epsilon }$) as a function of σ for n = 0.1. (Inset) Effective viscosity (η_eff) as a function of σ. (E) Elastic (σ_e, open symbols) and viscous stress (σ_v, solid symbols) depending on σ at n = 0.1. (Inset) η_eff originating from σ_e (= σ_e/$\dot{\epsilon }$, open symbols) and σ_v (= σ_v/$\dot{\epsilon }$, solid symbols), respectively. Dashed lines in D and E indicate either ∼σ¹ or ∼σ⁰. To see this figure in color, go online.