Abstract
Biological membranes (such as envelopes of erythrocytes) and vesicles of lipid bilayers are highly flexible shells which are strongly thermally excited although in the former case the lipid/protein bilayer is coupled to a quasi-two-dimensional macromolecular network. The bending rigidity of bilayers may be even reduced to the order of kT by amphiphilic substances so that they may behave as random surfaces.
In the first part of this contribution we discuss experimental studies of thermal excitations of vesicles and cells by fast image processing techniques that allow direct measurements of the mean square amplitudes of individual modes up to the 10th order and thus enable high precision measurements of bending elastic moduli.
In the second part we discuss the role of the membrane bending rigidity and chemically induced bending moments for shape transitions of cells and models of cell plasma membranes. The latter are composed of two-dimensional macromolecular solutions and gels prepared by combining macromolecular and normal lipids.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
Evans EA, Waugh R (1977) J Colloid Interface Sci 60:286
Evans EA, Needham D (1986) Faraday Discuss Chem Soc 81:267
Hochmuth RM, Buxbaum KL, Evans EA (1980) Biophys J 29:177
Brochard F, Lennon JF (1975) J Physique 36:1035
Engelhardt H, Sackmann E (1988) Biophysics J 54:495
Fricke K, Wirthenson K, Laxhuber R, Sackmann E (1986) Eur Biophys J 14:67
Peterson NO, McConnaughey WB, Elson EL (1982) Proc Natl Acad Sci 79:5327
Duwe H-P, Eggl P, Sackmann E (1988) In: Polymers and Biological Functions. Bad Nauheim
Sackmann E, Duwe H-P, Engelhardt H (1986) Faraday Discuss Chem Soc 81:281
Schneider MB, Jenkins JT, Webb WW (1984) J Physiqu 45:1457
Helfrich W (1986) J Physique 47:321
Millner ST, Safran SA (1987) Physical Review A, Vol 36
Engelhardt H, Duwe H-P, Sackmann (1985) J Physique lett 46:395
Zilker A, Engelhardt H, Sackmann E (1987) J Physique 48:2139
Clark MR, Mohandas N, Feo C, Jacobs MS (1981) J Clin Invest 67:531
Helfrich W (1978) Z Naturforsch 33a:305
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 1989 Dr. Dietrich Steinkopff Verlag GmbH & Co. KG
About this paper
Cite this paper
Duwe, HP., Zeman, K., Sackmann, E. (1989). Bending undulations of lipid bilayers and the red blood cell membrane: A comparative study. In: Bothorel, P., Dufourc, E.J. (eds) Trends in Colloid and Interface Science III. Progress in Colloid & Polymer Science, vol 79. Steinkopff. https://doi.org/10.1007/BFb0116178
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BFb0116178
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Publisher Name: Steinkopff
Print ISBN: 978-3-7985-0831-6
Online ISBN: 978-3-7985-1690-8
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive