Active unidirectional network flow generates a packet molecular transport in cells

TL;DR

This paper introduces a novel unidirectional transport mechanism in cellular networks, where molecules travel in packets with large deviation behavior, leading to efficient and robust molecular redistribution in cells.

Contribution

It reveals a new active-waiting transport process in cellular networks, demonstrating packet-based molecular movement and its implications for cellular efficiency.

Findings

Molecules travel in recurrent packets with large deviation behavior.

The transport mechanism enhances efficiency and robustness of molecular redistribution.

A novel unidirectional transport process is characterized in cellular networks.

Abstract

Internet, social media, neuronal or blood vessel are organized in complex networks. These networks are characterized by several quantities such as the underlying graph connectivity (topology), how they grow in time, scaling laws or by the mean time a random search can cover a network and also by shortest path between two nodes. We present here a novel type of network property based on a unidirectional transport mechanism occurring in the Endoplasmic Reticulum network found in the cell cytoplasm. This mechanism is an active-waiting transportation, where molecules have to wait a random time before being transported from one node to the next one. We find that the consequence of this unusual network transportation is that molecules travel together by recurrent packets, which quite a large deviation behavior compared to classical propagation in graphs. To conclude, this form of transportation is associated with an efficient and robust molecular redistribution inside cells.