Continuum approach oriented polymers

An alternative to the explicit analysis of actin fibers is a continuum approach where the cytoskeletal fibers are treated as one of two phases of the cytosol. Dembo and Harlow [1986] have proposed a general model of contractile biological polymer networks based on the analysis of reactive interpenetrating flow. In that model, the cytoplasm was viewed as a mixture of a contractile network of randomly oriented cytoskeletal filaments and an aqueous solution. Both phases were treated as homogeneous Newtonian fluids. Later, Alt and Dembo [1999] have applied a similar approach to the modehng of the motion of ameboid cells. The authors paid a special attention to the boundary conditions. They introduced three boundary surfaces the area of contact between the cell and the substrate, the surface separating the cell... 

The continaum approach for isotropic materials In order to appreciate the development of the continuum approach for oriented polymers it is helpful to discuss briefly the progress made in dealing with plasticity of isotropic polymers. 

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