Cells use cytoskeleton feedback to regulate energy, such as earthquakes

Not only can cells respond to their environment, but they seem to balance the same principles of earthquakes and avalanches at the edge of chaos.

A new study Natural Physics Revealed that the cellular bones (the internal framework of the cell) can self-adjust to a critical state, where energy and information flow in sudden, scaleless bursts. This finding adds to increasing evidence that biological systems organize themselves near tipping points to remain flexible, responsive and robust.

Self-organization criticality in test tubes

The study, by Zachary Gao Sun and Michael Murrell of Yale University, worked with the Garegin Papoian team at the University of Maryland, to rebuild the smallest Actomyosin network in vitro using purified proteins. By controlling the branching structure of F-actin and assembly of myosin II motors, the team recreated a condition in viable cells with significant loyalty.

What they found was striking: disordered, branched cytoskeleton networks showed intermittent energy releases following power law distributions, which Self-organizing criticality (SOC). This pattern can also be seen in natural disasters such as earthquakes and landslides, where small tremors are common and, although rare, adhere to mathematical predictability.

Key Discovery

• Branched actin networks exhibit pressure and displacement distribution of weight.
• Energy and force localization in the network mimics Anderson localization of physics.
• Myosin motor activity and actin structure interact by regulating critical feedback loops.
• Myosin filament size (controlled by potassium concentration) directly affects the energy dissipation mode.

Adjust between flexibility and rigidity

The cytoskeleton is not only a passive scaffold. This is an active dynamic network, with biopolymer structures and motion-generated forces feedback each other. This creates a system where energy is stored and released in the burst and the movement is neither completely chaotic nor completely predictable.

At the medium level of actin branches, cells exhibit Lévy flight distribution and 1/F noise in spatial and temporal size, systemic signs at the edge of phase transition. At these points, small changes can be subverted to large-scale rearrangements – for processes such as cell division, migration, and adaptation to mechanical stress.

Bridge physics and cell biology

This work creates a compelling similarity between cellular mechanics and condensation physics. As Sun explains in the paper: “Isn’t it amazing to see the similarities in the size of objects under the telescope microscope?” In particular, these findings echo Anderson LocalizationThis is a phenomenon in which wave-like signals are captured by disordered materials. Here, stress waves in the cytoskeleton are limited to locally rigid regions, thus preventing their spread in the network.

By regulating the concentration of actin tributary proteins (such as ARP2/3) and ionic conditions (such as KCL), the researchers show that cells can transition from remote force propagation of “metal-like” to localized dissipation of “insulator-like”. These transitions do not require a central controller, they occur spontaneously from the interaction between geometric and internal stresses.

The universal principle of life?

The author argues that self-organization criticality may be a common feature of life systems. Just as our planet releases energy through earthquake offsets, cells can regulate their internal mechanics through molecular avalanches. From this perspective, each cell is its own dynamic universe, adjusting itself to keep it responsive and stable.

“Whether in critical condition or not, the unit acts as a mechanical balance and, over the past two decades, how it has become a central topic for some biophysicists,” Sun noted. “Here, we observe the phenomenon in a well-controlled experimental environment and propose the mechanism.”

The meaning ripples outward. Understanding how cells manage forces and structure under critical conditions can change our perception of development, disease progression, and tissue engineering. It can also help physicists and engineers design artificial systems to mimic the delicate balance between nature and chaos.

Journal Reference

Published on July 22, 2025 Natural Physics
doi: 10.1038/s41567-025-02919-4

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