Figure 6.

Shown are deformation experiments and according graphs (e,f) of an α-actinin crosslinked actin bundle and its time dependent responses to external deformations. (a) the bundle was deformed on a short time scale by moving the trapped bead along a predefined arc with a subsequent holding time of 5 s in the deformed configuration. For short deformations, a crosslinked bundle restored its original configuration after stress release; (b) deformations on a long time scale with a deformation time of 1000 s lead to dynamic rearrangements of crosslinkers causing a plastic deformation. The bundle relaxed only partially to a new equilibrium position; (c) the bundle was deformed to its former zero position with a holding time of 5 s. After stress release, the bundle returned to its new equilibrium position; and (d) this procedure was repeated with a deformation time of 1000 s, which restored the initial equilibrium position of the bundle by dynamic crosslinker rearrangements. Thus, the effect is plastically reversible with a rearranged internal structure. This figure is adapted from Strehle et al. [16].