Rheology of growing axons

The growth of axons is a key process in neural system development, which relies upon subtle balance between external mechanical forces and remodeling cellular constituents. A problem the biophysics therefore to understand overall response axon under stretch, often modeled phenomenologically using morphoelastic or viscoelastic models. Here, we develop microscopic mixture model based on protein turnover damage obtain macroscopic rheology axonal shafts. First, provide an estimate for instantaneous elastic axons. Second, predict that moderate traction velocities, core behaves like Maxwell material whose rheological parameters can be expressed terms properties. Third, larger show failure takes place due extensive damage.