Asymptotic analysis of microtubule-based transport by multiple identical molecular motors

► We study the interaction of multiple molecular motors and their intracellular cargo. ► Experiments tend to report single motors working in low viscosity medium. ► Our SDE framework reveals important separations in length and time scales. ► Stochastic averaging permits rigorous analysis. ► In vitro, one motor is better than two, but in vivo, two is better than one.