Before revision:  Our results show that steady-state dynamics of this system are strongly influenced by a layer of depleted filament density at the obstacle-gel interface. Inter-filament correlations within this molecule-thick layer have dramatic consequences for the velocity and structure of the growing gel. These emergent behaviors can be captured by mean field theories that emphasize the non-additivity of polymerization forces and indicate a key role for the fluctuating gap between gel and obstacle .
After revision:  Our results show that steady-state kinetics and significantly deplete the gel's density within molecular distances of its leading edge. These behaviors are captured quantitatively by a self-consistent theory for extreme fluctuations in filaments' spatial distribution .