Eur. Phys. J. E (2009) 30: 439-447
https://doi.org/10.1140/epje/i2009-10529-0

Regular Article

The first-passage problem for diffusion through a cylindrical pore with sticky walls

¹ Max Planck Institute for the Physics of Complex Systems, Nöthnitzer Straße 38, 01187, Dresden, Germany
² Max Planck Institute for Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Pfotenhauer Straße 108, 01307, Dresden, Germany

^* e-mail: licata@mpi-cbg.de
^** e-mail: grill@mpi-cbg.de

Received: 29 May 2009
Revised: 10 August 2009
Accepted: 1 October 2009
Published online: 24 October 2009

Abstract

We calculate the first-passage time distribution for diffusion through a cylindrical pore with sticky walls. A particle diffusively explores the interior of the pore through a series of binding and unbinding events with the cylinder wall. Through a diagrammatic expansion we obtain first-passage time statistics for the particle’s exit from the pore. Connections between the model and nucleocytoplasmic transport in cells are discussed.