Instability-triggered Oscillations of Active Microfilament

Many biophysical and physiological processes involve intricate dynamics of active microfilaments submerged in complex fluids.
To elucide the motion of a single microfilament while capturing its essential nonlinear characteristics, we probe its stability and dynamics using Kirchhoff rod theory and resistive force theory, and observe its rich oscillatory dynamics when put under different size and forms of actuation.
We conclude by commenting the implication of our results on the mechanisms of ciliary and flagellar beating as well as other cellular and sub-cellular physical processes such as systems involving protein filaments.