A Model for the Transient Subdiffusive Behavior of Particles in Mucus

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• 作者：Matthias Ernst¹ ; Thomas John² ; Marco Guenther¹ ; Christian Wagner² ; ⁵ ; Ulrich F. Schaefer³ ; Claus-Michael Lehr³ ; ⁴ ; ^{Claus-Michael.Lehr@helmholtz-hzi.de}
• 刊名：Biophysical Journal
• 出版年：2017
• 出版时间：10 January 2017
• 年：2017
• 卷：112
• 期：1
• 页码：172-179
• 全文大小：1088 K
• 卷排序：112

文摘

In this study we have applied a model to explain the reported subdiffusion of particles in mucus, based on the measured mean squared displacements (MSDMSD). The model considers Brownian diffusion of particles in a confined geometry, made from permeable membranes. The applied model predicts a normal diffusive behavior at very short and long time lags, as observed in several experiments. In between these timescales, we find that the “subdiffusive” regime is only a transient effect, MSD∝τα,α<1MSD∝τα,α<1. The only parameters in the model are the diffusion-coefficients at the limits of very short and long times, and the distance between the permeable membranes L. Our numerical results are in agreement with published experimental data for realistic assumptions of these parameters. Finally, we show that only particles with a diameter less than 40 nm are able to pass through a mucus layer by passive Brownian motion.