Growth, collapse, and stalling in a mechanical model for neurite motility

Neurites, the long cellular protrusions that form the routes of the neuronal network are capable to actively extend during early morphogenesis or to regenerate after trauma. To perform this task, they rely on their cytoskeleton for mechanical support. In this paper, we present a three-component active gel model that describes neurites in the three robust mechanical states observed experimentally: collapsed, static, and motile. These states arise from an interplay between the physical forces driven by growth of the microtubule-rich inner core of the neurite and the acto-myosin contractility of its surrounding cortical membrane. In particular, static states appear as a mechanical traction/compression balance of these two parallel structures. The model predicts how the response of a neurite to a towing force depends on the force magnitude and recovers the response of neurites to several drug treatments that modulate the cytoskeleton active and passive properties.