Figure 8

Phase diagram for the possible behaviors of the cell protrusion inside the micropipette as a function of the thickness of the cortical layer, h, with respect to the critical thicknesses. The different lines represent the trend of the cell projection L p as a function of time, t. (a) Case in which the threshold thickness for protrusion retraction, h s , is lower than the thickness threshold for plasma membrane detachment from the actin cortex, h b . From the top: cell oscillations with large bleb formation, instantaneous retraction; oscillations with no bleb formation, continuous growth. (b) Case in which h s is bigger than h b . Saltatory behavior: tongue increases to a stationary situation followed by a new increase