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A quasi-random-walk to model a biological transport process

Transport Molecules play a crucial role for cell viability. Amongst others, linear motors transport cargos along rope-like structures from one location of
the cell to another in a stochastic fashion. Thereby each step of the motor, either forwards or backwards, bridges a fixed distance. While moving along the rope the motor can also detach and is lost. We give here a mathematical formalization of such dynamics as a random process which is an extension of Random Walks, to which we add an absorbing state to model the detachment of the motor from the rope. We derive particular properties of such processes that have not been available before. Our results include description of the maximal distance reached from the starting point and the position from which detachment takes place. Finally, we apply our theoretical results to a concrete established model of the transport molecule Kinesin V.

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:Potsdam/oai:kobv.de-opus-ubp:6358
Date January 2013
CreatorsKeller, Peter, Roelly, Sylvie, Valleriani, Angelo
PublisherUniversität Potsdam, Mathematisch-Naturwissenschaftliche Fakultät. Institut für Mathematik
Source SetsPotsdam University
LanguageEnglish
Detected LanguageEnglish
TypePreprint
Formatapplication/pdf
Rightshttp://opus.kobv.de/ubp/doku/urheberrecht.php

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