Absence of Buckling in Nerve Fiber

TL;DR

This paper presents a geometrical model of nerve fibers showing how their membrane structure prevents buckling despite large curvature from helicial bending, using a planar projection to analyze stability.

Contribution

It introduces a novel geometrical approach to understanding nerve fiber stability and the role of membrane structure in preventing buckling under curvature.

Findings

Nerve fibers can experience large curvature due to helicial bending.

Membrane structure provides a geometrical mechanism to prevent buckling.

Planar projection helps analyze the stability of nerve fibers.

Abstract

In this study we give a geometrical model which employs the smoothness of nerve fibers as differentiable curves. We show that a nerve fiber may encounter large curvature due to the possible helicial bending and hence it could cause the fiber to buckle. However, its membrane structure provides a mechanism, entirely geometrical to avoid it. To overcome the challenge of emerging helix we project it into a plane.