(37e) Ciliary Transport Strategies of Spherical Particles

We investigate the transport of particulates on a ciliated surface using a continuum modeling approach. The elastic cilia can beat due to an applied external field which is apllied in a periodic elliptical fashion. We have recently shown [1] that this beating pattern combined with an adhesive interaction of the cilia tips with the particles result in a net velocity of the particles. Here we investigate the effect of particle size and different surface arrangements on the transport velocity of the particles. Consequently we also discuss the feasibility of seperating particles based on their size using this ciliary transport system.

[1] G. A. Buxton, A. Alexeev, O. B. Usta, A. C. Balazs, submitted to Phys. Rev. Lett., 2005