Actin, nature’s architect for 3D connections

Actin, a protein in plant and animal cells, has the special property of being able to form microfilaments on its own. And according to researchers at Leti and IRTSV, this makes it an ideal “material architect” for 3D connections. They made 10-µ-diameter connections from self-grown actin filaments covered in gold. These filaments can now undergo electrical testing.
 

Thanks to actin’s filament-forming ability, researchers can use it to build connections in all directions and not just horizontally or vertically. This research—a world first—was published in Nature Materials.
 

Contact: patrick.leduc@cea.fr
 

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