We review the diverse range of materials made up of rod-shaped colloids. A common
feature of such suspensions is the strong and efficient contribution of rods to the material's …

The actin cytoskeleton, a network of protein-polymers, is responsible for the mechanical
stability of cells. This biopolymer network is also crucial for processes that require spatial …

Most theories of soft matter elasticity assume that the local strain in a sample after
deformation is identical everywhere and equal to the macroscopic strain, or equivalently that …

Most, if not all, peptide-and protein-based hydrogels formed by self-assembly can be
characterized as kinetically trapped 3D networks of fibrils. The propensity of disease …

The actin cytoskeleton is organized into diverse meshworks and bundles that support many
aspects of cell physiology. Understanding the self-assembly of these actin-based structures …

Nonlinear deformations can irreversibly alter the mechanical properties of materials. Most
soft materials, such as rubber and living tissues, display pronounced softening when …

The high diversity of cytoskeletal actin structures is accomplished by myriads of actin binding
proteins (ABPs). Depending on its concentration, even a single type of ABP can induce …

We present a theoretical and computational analysis of the rheology of networks made up of
bundles of semiflexible filaments bound by transient cross-linkers. Such systems are …

In living cells, lipid membranes and biopolymers determine each other's conformation in a
delicate force balance. Cellular polymers such as actin filaments are strongly confined by …

Living systems provide a paradigmatic example of active soft matter. Cells and tissues
comprise viscoelastic materials that exert forces and can actively change shape. This …